BIOS275 Week 6 Homework
12. What serious adverse effect has been linked to the drug Accutane?
The serious adverse effect that has been linked to the drug Accutuane is depression and suicide. This drug is only used to treat severe acne and not common acne.
15. What is a herpes zoster infection and what drugs are used to treat it?
Herpes zoster infection or shingles occur from the reemergence of the same virus that first caused chickenpox in the patient. The virus remains dormant in the body until later in life, when stress or illness triggers it to emerge. The following drugs are used to treat this infection: acyclovir (Zovirax), famciclovir (Famvir), and valacyclovir (Valtrex).
17. What is unusual about the origin of the popular drug Botox?
The toxin in Botox is the same toxin produced by Clostridium Botulinum, the bacterium that causes food poisoning. The trade name Botox comes from the letters botulinum toxin.
2. Discuss the use of silver nitrate versus erythromycin to prevent newborns from developing eye infections due to gonorrhea.
When babies are born, most states require a topical anti-infective drug be applied to prevent possible infection or blindness due to gonorrhea. Silver nitrate is less expensive but has drawbacks like conjunctival irritation and swelling. This drug also is ineffective in preventing eye infections due to Chlamydia. Erythromycin is more expensive but will treat and prevent what silver nitrate cannot.
4. Name three categories of drugs that are used topically to treat allergy symptoms in the eyes.
The three categories that are used topically to treat allergy symptoms in the eyes are topical antihistamine drugs, mast cell stabilizer drugs, and decongestant drugs.
3. How do antihistamine drugs exert their therapeutic effect?
Antihistamine drugs exert their therapeutic effect by blocking histamine receptors in the nose and throat. By inhibiting the activity of histamine, they can reduce capillary fragility, which produces the erythema, or redness, associated with allergic reactions. They will also reduce histamine induced secretions, including excessive tears and salivation.
6. If there is no release of histamine during a common cold, why are antihistamine drugs included in so many over-the-counter drugs used to treat the common cold?
Antihistamine drugs are included in so many over-the-counter drugs used to treat the common cold because antihistamine drugs have a drying effect on the mucous membranes that is helpful during a cold.
8. Explain why the mouth is a perfect environment for a yeast infection to develop.
The mouth is a perfect environment for a yeast infection to develop because yeast is related to fungi and grow easily in warm, moist, dark areas.
8. If a patient is allergic to amoxicillin, what other category of antibiotic drugs could also cause an allergic reaction?
If a patient is allergic to amoxicillin, then the patient can also be allergic to penicillin drugs and also may be allergic to cephalosporin drugs since they are also structurally similar to penicillin drugs.
12. Define these abbreviations: AIDS, HIV, CDCP, MRSA.
AIDS - Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body's ability to fight the organisms that cause disease. AIDS is characterized by a decrease in the number of helper T cells, which causes a severe immunodeficiency that leaves the body susceptible to a variety of potentially fatal infections. The virus is transmitted in infected bodily fluids such as semen and blood, as through sexual intercourse, the use of contaminated hypodermic syringes, and placental transfer between mother and fetus.
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). HIV attacks CD4 cells in the immune system. The immune system is the body’s natural defense system. It defends the body against infection and disease.
CDCP – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is the national public health institute of the United States. It’s main goal is to protect public health and safety through the control and prevention of disease, injury, and disability. The CDCP focuses national attention on developing and applying disease control and prevention. It especially focuses its attention on infectious disease, food borne pathogens, environmental health, occupational safety and health, health promotion, injury prevention and educational activities designed to improve the health of United States citizens.
MRSA - Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics. The symptoms of MRSA depend on where you're infected. Most often, it causes mild infections on the skin, like sores or boils. But it can also cause more serious skin infections or infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract. Because it's hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a "super bug."

Reference: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/understanding-mrsa-methicillin-resistant-staphylococcus-aureus http://www.prezista.com/patients/understanding-hiv/what-is-hiv
Turley, S. M., 2010, Understanding Pharmacology for Health Professionals, 4th Edition, Pearson Education