Drugs

• Uses and Abuses

Drugs
• A drug is any externally
administered substance
that can modifies or
effects chemical processes
in human body.---3 marks
Types of Drugs
• Stimulants
• Inhalants
• Depressants
• Antibiotics
• Chemotherapeutic agents
• Sedatives
• Antivirals
• Anesthetics
• Analgesics
Antibiotics
• Antibiotics, also known as
antibacterial, are medications that
destroy or slow down the growth
of bacteria.
• They include a range of powerful
drugs and are used to treat
diseases caused by bacteria.
• Antibiotics cannot treat viral
infections, such as cold, flu, and
most coughs.
Fast facts on antibiotics
• Alexander Fleming
discovered penicillin, the first
natural antibiotic, in 1928.
• Antibiotics cannot fight viral
infections.
• Fleming predicted the rise of
antibiotic resistance.
• Antibiotics either kill or slow the
growth of bacteria.
• Side effects can include diarrhea,
an upset stomach, and nausea.
How do antibiotics work?
• There are different types of
antibiotic, which work in one of
two ways:
• A bactericidal antibiotic, such
as penicillin, kills the bacteria.
These drugs usually interfere
with either the formation of
the bacterial cell wall or its cell
contents.
• A bacteriostatic stops bacteria
from multiplying.
Resistance
• Some medical professionals have
concerns that people are
overusing antibiotics. They also
believe that this overuse
contributes toward the growing
number of bacterial infections
that are becoming resistant to
antibacterial medications.
Reason for resistance of bacteria towards
antibiotics
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA)
• Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus refers
to a group of Gram-positive
bacteria that are genetically
distinct from other strains of
Staphylococcus aureus.
MRSA is responsible for
several difficult-to-treat
infections in humans.
Describe the effects of
excessive consumption
of alcohol: reduced
self-control,
depressant, effect on
reaction times,
damage to liver and
social implications
Vid link
• https://
www.youtube.co
m/watch?v=y2Rgx
m7Vvi8
• Describe the effects of tobacco smoke and its major toxic components
(nicotine, tar and carbon monoxide): strong association with
bronchitis, emphysema, lung cancer, heart disease, and the
association between smoking during pregnancy and reduced birth
weight of the baby