Drugs and Their Effects

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key terms and concepts from Section 8.1 on drugs, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, alcohol, and tobacco smoke.

Drug

Any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the body.

Antibiotics

Drugs used to treat infections caused by bacteria by killing them or stopping their growth, which do not work on viruses such as flu or colds.

Superbug

A drug-resistant bacterium, such as MRSA, that causes infections that cannot easily be killed by antibiotics.

Antibiotic Resistance

The development of resistance in bacteria to antibiotics, which can be increased by unnecessary drug overuse.

Depressant

A drug, such as alcohol, that slows down brain function, reaction time, and body processes.

Cirrhosis

Liver damage caused by long-term heavy alcohol consumption.

Nicotine

An addictive chemical in tobacco smoke that leads to dependence and increases heart rate and blood pressure.

Tar

A carcinogenic component of tobacco smoke that causes lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Carbon Monoxide

A poisonous gas in tobacco smoke that binds to hemoglobin in red blood cells instead of oxygen, reducing the amount of oxygen delivered to tissues.

Carcinogen

A substance or agent that causes cancer, such as tar found in tobacco smoke.