As our understanding of the chemical basis for biology has grown, we have learned more about how molecules which constitute life. Many scientists are beginning to understand the connections between the physical and psychological matters and the molecules that cause them. As a result, we can now use these new understandings of medicine against any dangerous or unpleasant conditions. For example, depression can be treated with drugs that can revive the brain to its normal level.
Many medicines and drugs can change someone's physical and mental conditions, which can improve the risk of sickness and/or death. Proof of how medicine has improved is the fact that the average person today lives about 20 years longer compared to someone living during the beginning of the century. Although drugs have its benefits, they an also have severe addictive and destructive power.
Antibiotics- The most prescribed medicines in the United States are the antibiotics, drugs that fight infectious diseases like diphtheria, tuberculosis, cholera, and pneumonia. These diseases are cause by bacteria, which reproduce within the human body. Antibiotics work by attacking the microorganisms and selectively killing each of them. Before antibiotics were available, bacterial infections and similar diseases were among the top causes of death in the United States. Today, many of these diseases have been completely cleared out of its existence from developed nations. Unfortunately, bacterial diseases still claim many lives in Third World countries where antibiotics are less available and conditions are poor.
Antibiotics are classified onto several different categories. Some of the most common are penicillin, cephalosporins, and tetracylines. The penicillins were discovered in 1982 by Sir Alexander Fleming, a bacteriologist at the University of London. Penicillin is a fungus that Sir Alexander Fleming discovered after he came back from his vacation. It was not until 13 years later that penicillin was used on humans. This discovery has saved many lives, but as time progressed scientist discovered that there was still some bacteria that were resistant to penicillin.
Antiviral Drugs- in contrast to bacteria, viruses require the machinery of a host cell to reproduce. A virus, which usually consists of only DNA and protein, takes over a host cell and inserts its own DNA into the chromosomes of the host. This virus uses the host cell to produce more viruses. The new viruses infect other host cells and the cycle repeats. Viruses unfortunately do not respond to antibiotics.
The Oceans - A Storehouse of Undiscovered Drugs and Medicines The health of human populations requires a wide variety of chemical and physical supports from both local ecosystems and from the global ecosystem. The subject of this paper is the indirect relationship between biodiversity and human health, particularly with regard to coral reef ecosystems. Coral reefs are the most diverse ecosystems in the sea. “High diversity density gives rise to intense species competition and the subsequent
Drug Overdose Drug overdose happens when you take too much of a drug. An overdose can occur with illegal drugs, prescription drugs, or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. The effects of drug overdose can be mild, dangerous, or even deadly. CAUSES Drug overdose may be caused by: Intentionally taking too much of a drug. Accidentally taking too much of a drug. An error by a doctor who prescribes a drug. An error by a pharmacist who fills the prescription order. Drugs that commonly
Homeopathic Remedies and Allopathic Medicine Modern medicine has eradicated diseases such as smallpox, polio, and malaria in many parts of the world, preventing many deaths. Yet, with many emerging alternative practices, the American society is slowly becoming more reliant on alternative medicines with little scientific evidence. However, one alternative practice, homeopathy, is slowly becoming accepted by many physicians. Now that homeopathy is sanctioned by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), many physicians
Personalized medicine through the development of modern methods of molecular biology offers application of a suitable drug to the appropriate patient at the right time. The vision of personalized medicine has begun in 1990’s when the molecular research and knowledge about proteomic, genomics and genetic testing escalated. Since then pharmaceutical com-panies, scientists and regulators needed to meet the challenges that the vision was bringing with. Right now “The era of personalised medicine is already
Marijuana as Medicine Marijuana as medicine has been studied for many years. In some cultures, it is already used as medicine, and it stems back from many generations. There are many good uses for marijuana to be used as medicine which will be discussed in following paragraphs. The problem is that in order to be used in America as medicine, marijuana must be legalized. Marijuana has a long history of medical use. It is one of the oldest living plants and, in ancient times, was used as
of these consumers are being misled by advertising and believe that their choice will benefit their health. Although herbal medicines have been in existence throughout human evolution, I have chosen to take a deeper look into these health practices. I’m curious if this is just another health claim or if there are actual benefits to taking these medicines. Herbal medicines are sold in different ways from tablets, teas, extracts, capsules, powders, and fresh or dried plants. Many consumers believe
synthetic drugs for their ailments, but proofs are there for the usage of things they could easily get for these kinds of problem. The common thing what they can procure easily for these ailments were from plants and animals. They found out that majority of flora were useful as food and others were of medicinally useful or of poisonous nature. By their own experience the knowledge on these plants were transferred from generations to generations and these forms as a basement of folk medicine. Thus the
overdosing on prescription medicine. Solutions to this overdose issue include alternate treatments, the disposal of leftover medicine and unused prescriptions, and providing Narcan to those using prescription medicine, which is a medicine to reverse an overdose. 58% of overdoses are caused by medicine. For 1 death: 10 people are admitted for treatment of drug abuse, 32 ER visits for drug abuse, 130 abuse prescription drugs, and 825 are nonmedical prescription drug users. 1 in 10 drug abusers actually get
involved in the field of pharmaceutical industry in reference to the lifesaving medicines and treatments. It is hardly a contested fact that there is something wrong in the way the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and the pharmaceutical industry works; keeping in mind that the prime objective of both the institutions is a moral one, one that involves the lives of many, i.e. insuring proper health and access to life saving drugs. Let us now take a glimpse at the story of Ron Woodroof, also shown in the
According to Anne Wojcicki “As the knowledge around personalized medicine continues to grow, consumers should expect their healthcare providers to begin to incorporate genetic information into their treatments and preventative care.” (Co-Founder of genetic testing company 23andMe on Personalized Medicine) Personalized medicine is a medical model that offers the mix of healthcare medicinal decisions, and products that being tailored to cater the need of the individual patient. It goes according to
smart drugs have a negative side as any medicine? Naturally, there is a negative and positive side of each medicine over the world. Smart drugs are a pharmacological substance used to develop mental function like memory and attention, but if it is propagated or requested from the Internet, it can adversely affect the human brain and body etc. Smart medicine become popular in the modern times and it manufactured Piracetam as a first smart drug. Nowadays, students are tending to use this drug an academic
possible. Medicine is very important to prevent diseases before infecting people or treat them after they get sick. In the last fifteen years, medicine has been incredibly improving from what it was previously, but it still shares several traits with traditional methods. Traditional and modern medicine are methods of treatment that have similarities and differences between them. Medicine is a science which deals with the study of diseases and injuries that impair human and how to cure them. Medicine means
If the placebo effect is used on common conditions that are associated with the over the counter drugs, people will most likely stop damaging their livers just because they have a headache, fever, feeling sore, and even as pain relievers. There has been a study on cough medicines being related to the placebo effect. “The major benefit of cough medicines for treatment of cough associated with common cold is related to the placebo effect rather than the pharmacological effect
Social Impact of Cost of medicines One of the main reasons why the price of medicine should be lowered is that it’s putting many people at risk for dangerous diseases and illnesses. Cancer patients who are in poverty won’t be able to pay for their medicine unless they have insurance. However, if they do have insurance, often the cancer patient is forced to wait until the last stage of cancer to receive treatment. Waiting until the last stage of cancer for insurance is very inefficient as there's
Prescription Cascade The practice of over prescribing medication is a recent problem facing many today. This is referred to as the prescribing cascade. Dr. Mehrdad Ayati an assistant professor of medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine, describes Prescription cascade in the following statement “To put this simply, a patient goes to a doctor’s office with an illness and is given a prescription this prescription has a side effect that causes another illness, and now the patient, unaware