DRUGS & SUBSTANCE ABUSE

RPB 41502
6. ABUSE OF MAJOR STIMULANTS
(COCAINE, AMPHETAMINE)
• STIMULANTS:
• A SUBSTANCE THAT INCREASES LEVELS OF
PHYSIOLOGICAL OR NERVOUS ACTIVITY IN THE BODY.
• TEMPORARY INCREASE IN ENERGY AND ALERTNESS
• INCREASE IN BLOOD PRESSURE, HEART RATE &
RESPIRATION
• ELEVATE ‘MOOD’, THE FEELING OF WELL-BEING
• CAFFEINE
• COCAINE
• AMPHETAMINE
1.CAFFEINE
• TEA, COFFEE, CHOCOLATE, CARBONATED SOFT
DRINKS
• POPULAR STIMULANT
• HIGHLY ADDICTIVE
• PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE
AFTER AS LITTLE AS 100 MG/DAY
• HEAVY USE : RESTLESSNESS, NERVOUSNESS,
EXCITEMENT, INSOMNIA, FLUSHED FACE, MUSCLE
TWITCHING, RAPID HEART BEAT, INCREASED
URINATION, GI SYMPTOMS.
• 10 GRAMS :CONVULSIONS, RESPIRATORY FAILURE,
DEATH
• ABRUPT WITHDRAWAL :IRRITABILITY, HEADACHE,
RESTLESSNESS FOR UP TO A WEEK
2. AMPHETAMINE
A CLASS OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS THAT HAVE SIMILAR
EFFECT TO ADRENALIN
ACT BY RELEASING NA & DOPAMINE, BY INHIBITING
THEIR REUPTAKE AND ALSO PROBABLY BY DIRECT
AGONIST ACTION ON RECEPTOR SITES
EFFECT
POWERFUL CENTRAL STIMULANT
ELEVATED MOOD, ENERGETIC, ALERT
SELF-CONFIDENT
↓FEELINGS OF HUNGER & FATIGUE
↑ TALKATIVENESS, RESTLESSNESS ,+/-AGITATION
 ANXIOUSNESS
IRRITABILITY
SYMPATHOMIMETIC EFFECTS
↑ HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE
PALPITATION
DILATED PUPILS
DRY MOUTH
SWEATING
ACUTE INTOXICATION:
 DIZZINESS
 SWEATING
 CHEST PAIN
 PALPITATIONS
 ↑ BLOOD PRESSURE
 CARDIAC ARRHYTHMIAS
 ↑ TEMPERATURE
 CONVULSIONS
TOLERANCE
DEVELOPS TO EUPHORIC EFFECTS, CARDIO VASCULAR
EFFECTS, APPETITE-SUPPRESSANT EFFECT
USEFUL
NARCOLEPSY
ADHD –REDUCE THEIR ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR,
↑ATTENTION SPAN
PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE
CONTROVERSIAL
ABRUPT WITHDRAWAL, FATIGUE, DEPRESSION, HUNGER,
NEED FOR SLEEP (THE CRASH), CAN BE SUICIDAL
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE
CHRONIC USERS
INTENSE CRAVING
DRUG-SEEKING BEHAVIOR
ADVERSE EFFECTS
PSYCHOTIC ILLNESS WHICH IS DIFFICULT TO
DIFFERENTIATE FROM SCHIZOPHRENIA (WITH
PARANOID DELUSIONS, AUDITORY & VISUAL
HALLUCINATIONS)
3.AMPHETAMINE-TYPE STIMULANTS
METHAMPHETAMINE
‘ICE’, ‘GLASS’
THE FORMULATION THAT CAN BE SMOKED

METHYLPHENIDATE (RITALIN)
ADHD
DIFFICULT TO DIFFERENTIATE FROM UNDERLYING
SOCIAL PROBLEMS (PARENTING ISSUES)
MAYBE CRUSHED/SNORTED
3,4-METHYLENEDIOXYMETHAMPHETAMINE (MDMA)
 ECSTASY
 PSYCHOACTIVE DRUG USED AS A RECREATIONAL DRUG
 EFFECTS IF INCREASED EMPATHY, EUPHORIA &
HEIGHTENED SENSATIONS
 ONSET OF ACTION: 30 – 45 MINUTES( BY MOUTH)
 DURATION OF ACTION: 4 – 6 HOURS
4. COCAINE
AN ALKALOID PREPARED FROM LEAVES OF THE COCA
BUSH ERYTHROXYLUMCOCA (COLOMBIA, BOLIVIA,
PERU)
COCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE
WHITE POWDER
EASY TO TRANSPORT
ROUTE OF ADMINISTRATION
ALMOST ANY ROUTE

EFFECTS
POWERFUL CNS STIMULANT
ELEVATED MOOD, ENERGETIC, ALERT, SELF-CONFIDENT
PHYSICAL EFFECTS
↑ HEART RATE, ↑ BLOOD PRESSURE, ↑ TEMPERATURE
DILATED PUPILS, CARDIAC/RESPIRATORY ARREST LEADING TO DEATH
INTRACEREBRAL HEMORRHAGE
TOLERANCE
HYPERTHERMIA, CONVULSING & CARDIOVASCULAR
EFFECTS
AS DOSE AND FREQUENCY INCREASE, DYSPHORIC
EFFECTS SUCH AS IRRITABILITY, SUSPICIOUSNESS &
RESTLESSNESS ENSUE
PHYSICAL DEPENDENCE
WITHDRAWAL:
LETHARGY, DEPRESSION, APATHY
SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL
TREMOR
MUSCLE PAIN
DISTURBANCES OF EATING & SLEEPING
EEG CHANGES
CRASH (SEVERE FORM):
LAST FEW HOURS/DAYS
DYSPHORIA
↑↑ CRAVING
EXCESSIVE SLEEPINESS
PARANOID IDEAS
AGITATION
SUICIDAL THOUGHTS
PSYCHOLOGICAL DEPENDENCE
NORMAL LIFE PATTERN DISRUPTED
EVERYTHING BECOMES SUBDUED TO THE NEED FOR COCAINE

MECHANISM OF ACTION
COMPLEX AND NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD
AFFECTS DOPAMINERGIC SYSTEM,
NOR ADRENALIN
5-HT
TOXICITY/COCAINE-INDUCED PSYCHOSIS
ANXIETY
RESTLESSNESS
APPREHENSION
SUSPICIOUSNESS
HYPERVIGILANCE
PARANOID
STIMULATION OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM : MUSCLE
TWITCHING, ↑ HR, BP, IRREGULAR RESPIRATION,
CONVULSIONS
DEPRESSION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM:
CIRCULATORY & RESPIRATORY FAILURE, LOSS OF
REFLEXES, UNCONSCIOUSNESS & DEATH