Misconceptions in Health and Medicine

What are two general principles that students should remember in pharmacology?

All substances can be toxic under certain circumstances. 2) All dietary supplements and therapies should meet the same standards of efficacy and safety as conventional drugs.

Why has there been a growth of the 'alternative health care' industry?

Due to the irrational use of expensive, ineffective, and sometimes harmful remedies.

What is the significance of pharmacology in understanding drug action?

Pharmacology seeks to understand how drugs exert their effects at the molecular, cellular, and organism levels.

How do the chemicals in botanicals differ from those in manufactured drugs?

The proportion of impurities is greater in botanicals, but otherwise, they are no different from chemicals in manufactured drugs. Signup and view all the answers

What has led to the rejection of medical science by some segments of the public?

Lack of understanding of basic scientific principles in biology and statistics, as well as the absence of critical thinking about public health issues. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it important for all dietary supplements and therapies to meet the same standards of efficacy and safety as conventional drugs?

To ensure that there is no artificial separation between scientific medicines and alternative or complementary medicine. Signup and view all the answers

What is pharmacology?

Pharmacology is the science of drugs. Signup and view all the answers

How can pharmacology be defined?

Pharmacology can be defined as an experimental science that studies changes brought about by chemically acting substances in vivo and in vitro. Signup and view all the answers

How is pharmacology related to other fields of study?

Pharmacology is an integrative discipline involving other fields such as physiology, biochemistry, microbiology, and immunology. Signup and view all the answers

What does pharmacology attempt to describe?

Pharmacology attempts to describe the biological responses produced by substances known as drugs and the underlying mechanisms of these responses. Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes pharmacology from pharmacy?

Pharmacology involves studying the effects of drugs on living organisms, while pharmacy is responsible for the identification, standardization, and dispensing of drugs. Signup and view all the answers

What is medical pharmacology?

Medical pharmacology is defined as the science of substances used to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main role of occupational toxicologists?

Establish guidelines for occupational safety and exposure limits to protect workers Signup and view all the answers

What is the focus of forensic toxicology?

Analyze biological samples to detect toxic substances in poisoning or drug overdose cases Signup and view all the answers

What do clinical toxicologists do in a clinical setting?

Manage poisoning and overdose cases, provide medical treatment and support Signup and view all the answers

What is the contribution of regulatory toxicologists in the field?

Develop regulations and guidelines for safe use of chemicals, evaluate toxicological data Signup and view all the answers

Why is forensic toxicology essential in legal investigations?

To detect toxic substances in cases of poisoning, drug overdoses, or other incidents Signup and view all the answers

What concept was reintroduced into medicine about 60 years ago that made it possible to accurately evaluate therapeutic claims?

Rational therapeutics, especially controlled clinical trial Signup and view all the answers

What has the last three decades seen a rapid growth of understanding in, related to drug action?

Molecular basis for drug action Signup and view all the answers

What has the use of receptor identification methods led to the discovery of?

Orphan receptors Signup and view all the answers

What has the decoding of genomes of many species led to the recognition of?

Unsuspected relationships between receptor families Signup and view all the answers

What discovery led to the investigation of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) as therapeutic agents?

Small segments of RNA can interfere with protein synthesis with extreme selectivity Signup and view all the answers

What is the current status regarding the extension of scientific principles into everyday therapeutics?

Still ongoing Signup and view all the answers

What is hirudin?

An anticoagulant found in the saliva of leeches Signup and view all the answers

Define synthetic sources of drugs.

Laboratory-based creation of chemical compounds designed for therapeutic effects Signup and view all the answers

Give an example of a synthetic drug derived from salicylic acid.

Aspirin (Acetylsalicylic Acid) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary use of Ibuprofen?

Pain relief, fever reduction, and anti-inflammatory purposes Signup and view all the answers

What is another name for Paracetamol?

Acetaminophen Signup and view all the answers

What are Aspirin-Like NSAIDs used for?

Pain relief and reducing inflammation Signup and view all the answers