Drugs

• What is a big part of medicine?

  The use of drugs
• How much does the NHS spend on medications annually?

  Over seventeen billion pounds
• What are the two groups of medications?

  • Medications that relieve symptoms
  • Medications that treat the disease
• What medications might you take for a sore throat?

  Aspirin or paracetamol
• What do painkillers do for a sore throat?

  Reduce pain and headache
• Do painkillers cure the problem of a sore throat?

  No, they only relieve symptoms
• What can antibiotics do for a sore throat?

  Kill bacteria or prevent their growth
• Why might antibiotics not work for a sore throat?

  Most sore throats are caused by viruses
• Why can't antibiotics kill viruses?

  Antibiotics target bacteria, not viruses
• What is a metaphor used to explain antibiotics' ineffectiveness on viruses?

  Killing a tree with a flyswatter
• Why is it difficult to destroy viruses?

  They hide within our body cells
• What must doctors do before prescribing antibiotics?

  Test to find the type of bacteria
• What is antibiotic resistance?

  Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics
• How has the ability to treat diseases changed medicine?

  • Improved quality of life
  • Extended people's lives
  • Multiple drugs can be used simultaneously
• What is the main takeaway about treating symptoms and diseases?

  It has revolutionized medicine
• What is the impact of using multiple drugs for treatment?

  Some drugs relieve symptoms, others treat causes
• What are the two main uses of drugs mentioned in the video?

  Relieve symptoms and help cure diseases
• Why have microorganisms and plants been important in drug development?

  They produce substances that kill pathogens
• What is aspirin commonly used for?

  To lower fevers and relieve pain
• What is digitalis used to treat?

  Heart problems like heart failure
• Who discovered penicillin and how?

  Alexander Fleming discovered it from a fungus
• What are the three main factors to consider when testing drugs?

  Efficacy, toxicity, and dosage
• What does efficacy refer to in drug testing?

  How well the drug produces the desired effect
• What does toxicity refer to in drug testing?

  How harmful the drug is to the body
• What does dosage refer to in drug testing?

  Amount or concentration of the drug given
• What are the three main stages of drug testing?

  1. Testing on human cells and tissues
  2. Testing on live animals
  3. Clinical testing on humans
• What is the benefit of testing drugs on human cells and tissues?

  It allows easy and cheap testing of substances
• Why is testing on live animals important?

  It gives insight into efficacy and toxicity
• What is the purpose of clinical testing?

  To test the drug on humans for safety
• What types of mammals must drugs be tested on in the UK?

  Two different types like mice and rabbits
• What is the first step in clinical testing?

  Giving the drug to healthy volunteers
• What is the aim of increasing the dosage during clinical testing?

  To find the maximum safe dosage
• What is the goal of finding the optimum dosage?

  Maximize efficacy while minimizing toxicity
• What is the purpose of using a placebo in clinical trials?

  • To compare effects with the real drug
  • To avoid bias in reporting side effects
  • To ensure validity of results
• What does it mean for a clinical trial to be blind?

  Participants do not know which drug they receive
• What is a double-blind trial?

  Neither doctors nor participants know the drug
• Why is peer review important in drug testing?

  It checks fairness and prevents false claims
• What happens after drug testing is complete?

  Results are written up and peer-reviewed
• What is the main purpose of the rigorous analysis by other scientists?

  To prevent false claims or results
• What feedback does the video creator seek from viewers?

  Whether longer videos work fine