Medical Consequences of Drug/Prescription Drug Abuse
吸毒成瘾是一种脑部疾病. Although initial drug use might be voluntary, drugs of abuse have been shown to alter gene expression and brain circuitry, which in turn affect human behavior. 一旦上瘾, these brain changes interfere with an individual’s ability to make voluntary decisions, leading to compulsive drug craving, 寻求, 和使用.
The impact of addiction can be far-reaching. 心血管病, 中风, 癌症, 艾滋病毒/艾滋病, 肝炎, and lung disease can all be affected by drug abuse. Some of these effects occur when drugs are used at high doses or after prolonged use; however, 有些可能只使用一次就会发生.
艾滋病毒、肝炎 & 其他传染病
Drug abuse not only weakens the immune system but is also linked to risky behaviors like needle sharing and unsafe sex. The combination greatly increases the likelihood of acquiring HIV-AIDS, 肝炎 and many other infectious diseases.
Drugs that can lead to 艾滋病毒、肝炎 and other infectious diseases:
心血管的影响
Researchers have found a connection between the abuse of most drugs and adverse cardiovascular effects, ranging from abnormal heart rate to heart attacks. Injection drug use can also lead to cardiovascular problems such as collapsed veins and bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves.
Drugs that can affect the cardiovascular system:
呼吸系统的影响
Drug abuse can lead to a variety of respiratory problems. Smoking cigarettes, for example, has been shown to cause bronchitis, emphysema, and lung 癌症. 大麻 smoke may also cause respiratory problems. The use of some drugs may also cause breathing to slow, 阻止空气进入肺部, 或者加重哮喘症状.
Drugs that can affect the respiratory system:
胃肠道的影响
还有其他副作用, many drugs of abuse have been known to cause nausea 和呕吐 soon after use. 可卡因 use can also cause abdominal pain.
Drugs that can affect the gastrointestinal system:
肌肉骨骼的影响
Steroid use during childhood or adolescence, resulting in artificially high sex hormone levels, can signal the bones to stop growing earlier than they normally would have, 导致身材矮小. Other drugs may also cause severe muscle cramping and overall muscle weakness.
Drugs that can affect the musculoskeletal system:
肾脏损害
Some drugs may cause kidney damage or failure, either directly or indirectly from dangerous increases in body temperature and muscle breakdown.
Drugs that can cause kidney damage:
肝损伤
长期使用某些药物, 比如海洛因, 吸入剂和类固醇, may lead to significant damage to the liver.
可导致肝损伤的药物:
神经系统的影响
All drugs of abuse act in the brain to produce their euphoric effects; however, some of them also have severe negative consequences in the brain such as seizures, 中风, and widespread brain damage that can impact all aspects of daily life. Drug use can also cause brain changes that lead to problems with memory, 注意力和决策.
Drugs that can cause neurological problems:
心理健康影响
长期使用某些药物 of abuse can cause long-lasting changes in the brain, 这可能会导致偏执, 抑郁症, 侵略, 和幻觉.
Drugs that can cause mental health problems:
激素的影响
Steroid abuse disrupts the normal production of hormones in the body, causing both reversible and irreversible changes. These changes include infertility and testicle shrinkage in men as well as masculinization in women.
Drugs that can cause hormonal problems:
癌症
Cigarette smoking is the most preventable cause of 癌症 in the United States. Smoking cigarettes has been linked to 癌症 of the mouth, neck, stomach, and lung, among others. Smoking marijuana also exposes the lungs to carcinogens and can cause pre癌症ous changes to the lungs similar to cigarette smoke.
可能致癌的药物:
产前的影响
The full extent of the effects of prenatal drug exposure on a child is not known; however, studies show that various drugs of abuse may result in premature birth, 流产, 低出生体重, and a variety of behavioral and cognitive problems.
Drugs that may have adverse prenatal effects:
其他健康影响
In addition to the effects various drugs of abuse may have on specific organs of the body, many drugs produce global body changes such as dramatic 食欲变化 and increases in body temperature, which may impact a variety of health conditions. Withdrawal from drug use also may lead to numerous adverse health effects, 包括不安, 情绪波动, 乏力, 食欲变化, 肌肉和骨骼疼痛, 失眠, 寒冷的闪光, 腹泻, 和呕吐.
Drugs that have global adverse health effects:
死亡率
Drug-related deaths have more than doubled since the early 1980s. 死亡人数更多, 疾病, and disabilities from substance abuse than from any other preventable health condition. Today, one in four deaths is attributable to alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drug use.
