Health Coach Learn & Reflect

Characteristics of drug abuse: failure to perform adequately at work, school, or home; recurrent substance use during inappropriate situations, such as while operating a vehicle; legal problems related to substance abuse; continued substance use despite social consequences/interpersonal issues, such as fights with spouse. Drug abuse is determined by the above and NOT the amount consumed. Addiction is defined by: compulsion, loss of control, continued drug use despite adverse consequences, distortions in normal thinking Physical dependence (also called tissue dependence), biological adaption r/t continued use of the drug Tolerance is when the body adapts to the drug, so the same dose no longer achieves the same psychological effect. However, not all parts of the body adapts to this tolerance, so a higher amount of the drug can lead to health consequences. Example: the respiratory center does not adapt to the continued use of heroin, so overdose can be dangerous. withdrawal symptoms are ...

 Acetaminophen overdose is the leading cause for liver transplantation. That's why manufacturers create 325mg doses for tablets. Daily recommendation not to exceed 4g. DTCA - direct to consumer advertising, aka the drug commercials on TV. "Ask your doctor if XXX is right for you" Fast-Track approval: usually drugs take 2 years to go through trials to get approved to be sold to the public. However, if there is a disease that is life-threatening and there are no other options, and the drug shows promise, a Fast-Track approval can be requested. 5-year-rule: don't use any drug that has been on the market for less than 5 years if there is an older, effective drug available, in order to prevent from any side effects not realized during trials. 

Drug: a single substance that alters the body's function/processes. Medicine: a drug or drugs that are meant to: prevent illnesses (such as vaccines), cure disease (such as antibiotics), aid in healing (like heartburn medications), suppress systems (like pain relievers).  While all medicines are drugs, not all drugs are medicine. For example: alcohol or cigarettes.  Drugs work by binding to receptors to create an effect. They are similar to hormones or neurotransmitters. How an antibiotic works: antibiotics bind to the receptors on the surfaces of bacteria, preventing them from functional correctly and/or replicating (prevents the vital proteins needed for the bacteria to survive).

Pharmacogenetics: the ability for scientists to look at someone's genes and predict how they will react to a certain drug.  Side effects: caused by a medicine binding to a variety of receptors and/or on different cells. Between 5-10% of patients experience adverse side effects (ADRs). Rebound effect: the worsening of previous symptoms after a drug has been stopped. This leads to a vicious cycle of being prescribed a higher dose to control the symptoms, experiencing rebound, and re-prescribing again. SOLUTION: tapering down a medication instead of stopping it cold-turkey. 1/3 of hospital stays are extended because inappropriate medications are given to patients, or managed improperly by medical staff. A dose of a drug is determined by the following: 1.) person's body size, 2.) how rapidly the drug breaks down and is eliminated, 3.) sometimes by the presence of food/drugs that are recently consumed. 4.) any placebo effect, 5.) a person's mental state (example: patient needing...

 1.) Blood pressure-reducing exercise: exhale all air through mouth. Inhale through nose for 4 seconds using abdominal muscles as well. Hold breath for 7 seconds or as long as you can hold it. Then exhale slowly through mouth for 8 seconds. Repeat 3x and this will lower blood pressure. 2.) Hypertension is responsible for more deaths than any other condition worldwide. 3.) Metabolic syndrome: if an individual meets 3 or more of the following conditions, they have metabolic syndrome, and are at risk for diabetes, cardiovascular issues, and premature death. These conditions are:     Waist circumference greater than 40 for men, and 35 for women     Elevated triglyceride of 150 or greater     HDL level of 40 or lower for men, 50 or lower for women     Fasting glucose of 100 or higher     High blood pressure (130/85 or higher) 3.) 37% of American deaths every year (About 2.5 million) are due to CVD.  4.) Seven healthy lifestyle facto...

 Things I learned today: 1.) A defibrillator is meant to help with ventricular fibrillation. It helps it stop abnormally quivering so that the ventricles of the heart can contract blood again. 2.) Heart disease deaths are going down in America, likely due to the general public being more informed about heart disease, and more medical technology helping save lives of individuals with heart disease. 3.) Infected gums contribute to heart disease. Bacteria in the mouth have been detected in the plaques that cause heart disease. 4.) Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in America. 50% of heart disease deaths are due to Atherosclerosis. 5.) Atherosclerosis is a type of arteriosclerosis ("artery narrowing") 6.) Purpose of cholesterol: structural components of cell membranes, building block of several different hormones, and precursor of bile salts. 20% of cholesterol is consumed from meals, and 80% is created by the liver with materials from carbohydrates and fats. Because o...