medicine What is medicine 1 Medicine used to

medicine

What is medicine? � 1. Medicine – used to treat or prevent diseases or other health conditions � 2. Drugs – substances other than food that change the structure or function of the body or mind � a. all medicines are drugs, but not all drugs are medicine!

What is medicine? � 3. Four major reasons people take medicine a. Help prevent disease � b. Help fight pathogens � c. Relieve pain and other symptoms � d. Manage chronic conditions, help maintain or restore health, and regulate body’s systems �

Medicines that Prevent Disease � 1. Vaccine – a preparation that prevents a person from contracting a specific disease. � Ex. Flu shot – required every year a. vaccine produces antibodies that fight the pathogens associated with the disease. b. basically, a smaller, weakened dosage of the disease.

Medicines that Prevent Disease �Some common Vaccinations: 1. MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella) 2. Polio 3. Hepatitis B 4. Varicella (Chickenpox)

Include the following! �What disease is this vaccine meant to prevent? �Describe the disease this vaccine prevents: What are the symptoms? Who is most susceptible? Is the disease caused by a virus or bacteria? �Who should be vaccinated? Who should not be vaccinated? �How does the vaccine work? How often should a person be vaccinated? �What are some possible side effects of the vaccine? �What are some other interesting facts about this vaccine?

Medicines that Prevent Disease � 2. Antitoxins – similar to a vaccine, they fight the bacteria that produce substances which are toxic to the body.

Medicines that Fight Pathogens 1. Pathogens – any substance that causes disease 2. Antibiotics – drugs that destroy diseasecausing microorganisms called bacteria Ex. Penicillin – ear infections

Medicines that Fight Pathogens � 3. Antivirals and Antifungals – suppress illnesses caused by viruses, not bacteria �*** You need to finish a whole prescription. If you don’t, you may not kill all the bacteria, or viruses will develop a resistance to the medication.

Medicines that Relieve Pain � 1. Analgesics – Pain relievers. �a. range from aspirin, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, naproxen (reduces inflammation), to opium-based morphine and codeine (which is much stronger) �b. Acetaminophen is the recommended analgesic for children! Aspirin may cause Reye’s syndrome in children (illness of brain and liver) �c. These drugs can be addictive. Patients may become physically or psychologically dependent on these drugs.

Medicines that Promote Health and Manage Chronic Conditions � 1. Allergy Medicines – also known as antihistamines �a. reduce sneezing, runny nose, itchy/watery eyes b. block chemicals released by immune system that cause allergic response �c. Epinephrine – may be prescribed by a doctor incase of a severe allergic reaction � - peanut allergy, bee sting �- self-administered shot with single dose injector

Medicines that Promote Health and Manage Chronic Conditions � 2. Body Regulating Medicines – regulate body chemistry and balance �a. Insulin is an example �b. people with diabetes use this to regulate the amount of sugar in their blood �c. asthma sufferers use inhalers to help respiratory system

Medicines that Promote Health and Manage Chronic Conditions � 3. Antidepressants – help people suffering from mental illnesses �a. example – Prozac – taken to help enhance mood and eliminate depression

Taking Medications � 1. Oral Medicines – Taken by mouth, pass from the digestive system into bloodstream � 2. Topical Medicines – applied to skin, transdermal patches � 3. Inhaled Medicines – delivered in fine mist or powder such as asthma medications � 4. Injected Medications – delivered through a shot and go directly to bloodstream

Over the Counter (OTC)/Prescription Drugs � 1. All medicines in US must meet standards set by FDA – Food and Drug Administration � 2. Prescription Meds – given only with the written approval of a licensed physician � 3. OTC Meds – medicines you can buy without a prescription

Over the Counter (OTC)/Prescription Drugs � 4. Medicine Misuse – using a med in ways other than the intended use � Ex. Taking too much or too little of a med � 5. Medicine abuse – intentionally taking medications for nonmedical reasons � 6. Drug Overdose – a strong, sometimes fatal reaction to taking a large amount of a drug

Reactions to Medications � 1. Side Effects – reactions to medicine other than the ones intended � 2. Additive interaction – medicines work together in a positive way � Ex. An anti-inflammatory and a muscle relaxant � May be prescribed to treat joint pain

Reactions to Medications � 3. Synergistic Effect – occurs when one medicine increases the strength of another � 4. Antagonistic Interaction – the effect of one medicine is cancelled or reduced when taken with another med.

Reactions to Medications � 5. Tolerance – body becomes used to the effect of a med. The body requires an increase in dosage to produce the same effect � 6. Withdrawal – when a person stops using a med that he/she has become physiologically dependant on. �Ex. Symptoms include insomnia, nervousness, headaches, vomiting, chills