WHAT ARE DRUGS?

is a substance used as a medicine or in making medicines, which affects the body and mind and
has potential for abuse. Without an advice or prescription from a physician, drugs can be
harmful.

“All medicines are drugs but not all drugs are medicine”
A medicine is the substance that helps restore ‘normalcy’ to your body & mind.
A drug is a chemical substance that takes control of your body or mind depending on its own
inherent nature.

Two forms of drugs

1. natural - types of drugs can be found in nature

opium blue agave

magic mushroom marijuana

2. synthetic/artificial- drugs that comes from natural substances, but have undergone a
scientific process to become an illicit drug.
cocaine heroin ecstasy

The Prescriptive Drugs

These are drugs requiring written authorization from a doctor to allow a purchase.
The four categories of Prescriptive Drug:
1. pain relievers – drugs that ease discomfort brought on by illness, injury, surgical procedures
and chronic conditions.
2. tranquilizers- prescribed for anxiety, acute stress reactions, and panic attacks.
3. stimulants - increase the activity of the brain chemicals.
4. sedatives- prescription medication that slows down your brain activity

The Over-the-Counter Drugs (OTC)

The OTC drugs are non-prescription medicines, which may be purchased from any pharmacy or
drugstore without written authorization from a doctor.
These drugs are used for the prevention and symptomatic relief of minor ailments.

Paracetamol
This is an OTC medicine used to relieve mild to moderate pain and reduce fever. It is commonly
used for headaches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, and fever.
: Biogesic, Tempra, Calpol, and Tylenol.
Ibuprofen
This is an anti-inflammatory drug used to relieve mild to moderate pain, and helps to relieve
symptoms of arthritis, such as inflammation, swelling, stiffness, and joint pain. It is also used for
headaches, toothaches, menstrual cramps, and muscle pain. It is also sometimes used to reduce
fever.
: Advil, Midol, Medicol Advance, and Alaxan.

Loperamide
is an antidiarrheal medication used to slow down the movement of the intestines, helping to
reduce diarrhea or irritable bowel syndrome.
: Imodium, Diatabs, Lomotil, and Lormide.
Cetirizine
Cetirizine is an antihistamine that helps relieve allergy symptoms like itching, sneezing, and
runny nose. It is also sometimes used to relieve symptoms of hives.
: Ceticit, RiteMed, Allecure, and Virlix.

Loratadine
Like cetirizine, this is an antihistamine medication used to treat symptoms of allergies, including
itching, sneezing, and runny nose.
: Allerta, Claritin, TGP, and RiteMed.

Salbutamol
This is a medication used to relieve asthma symptoms, including wheezing, coughing, and
shortness of breath. It works by relaxing the muscles of the airways into the lungs, making it
easier to breathe.
: RiteMed and Ventolin.

Antacid
Antacids are medications used to neutralize stomach acid, helping to relieve symptoms of
heartburn, indigestion, and stomach upset. Some antacids are also used in the treatment of
constipation and diarrhea. They come as a liquid or chewable tablets.
: Maalox, Tums, Gaviscon, and Kremil-S.

Multivitamins
Multivitamins are a combination of many different vitamins normally found in food and other
natural sources taken to to support overall health.
: Enervon, Centrum, Stresstabs, and Neurogen E.

OTCs must be used properly to:

1. avoid the dispensing of OTC to known identified habitual drug users. proper time
2. avoid complications, this is done by inquiring from the buyer of the drugs as to the identity of
the patient, the patient's age and other information such as pregnancy, hypertension, etc. and
3. Counseling the patient" to avoid the "self- medication" syndrome by inquiring about the
buyer's source of information about the drug.

"Self-Medication Syndrome"

syndrome is found in users and would be users of drugs whose sources of information are
people or literature other than doctors, pharmacists and health workers

Outcome of Self Medication Syndrome:

1. Adverse reaction towards the drug, such as allergies which may be mild or severe.
2. Possible non-responsive of the patient to the drug effectively due to incorrect drug usage.
3. Possible drug toxicity, through overdose which may lead to severe reactions such as nausea,
vomiting, rashes, etc.
4. Possible habit-forming characteristics due to periodic use of the drugs even when such are
no longer needed.

HOW DRUG WORKS?

Most drugs act within a cell, rather than on the surface of a cell or in the extra-cellular fluids of
the body. Similar to normal body chemicals, a drug enters a cell and participates in a few steps of
the normal sequence of a cellular process.
DOSAGE LEVEL

1. Minimal dose - the amount needed to treat or heal, that is, the smallest amount of a drug that
will produce a therapeutic effect.
2. Maximal dose - the largest amount of a drug that will produce a desired therapeutic effect,
without any accompanying symptoms of toxicity.
3. Toxic dose - the amount of drug that produces untoward effects or symptoms of poisoning.
4. Abusive dose - the amount needed to produce the side effects and action desired by an
individual who improperly uses it.
5. Lethal dose - the amount of drug that will cause death

HOW DRUGS ARE ADMINISTERED?

The common methods of drug administration are as follows:

1. Oral - this is the safest, most convenient and economical route whenever possible.

2. Injection - this form of drug administration offers a faster response than the oral method.

3. Inhalation - this route makes use of gaseous and volatile drugs, which are inhaled and
absorbed rapidly through the mucous of the respiratory tract.

4. Topical - this refers to the application of drugs directly to a body site such as the skin and the
mucous membrane.
5. Iontophoresis - the introduction of drugs into the deeper layers of the skin by the use of
special type of electric current for local effect.