Psych 123

09/08/2014
Drug Toxicity
A drug's harmful effects are referred to as its toxicity
Acute toxicity ca! "e measured i! terms of either a drug's thera#eutic i!dex or its margi! of
safety$ each of %hich ca! com#uted from its effecti&e dose res#o!se a!d lethal dose'res#o!se
cur&es
(udgi!g Drug Toxicity Through )D a!d *D +easures
)ffecti&e dose ,)D-. The mi!imal dose of a #articular drug !ecessary to #roduce the i!te!ded
drug effect i! a gi&e! #erce!tage of the #o#ulatio!
*ethal dose ,*D-. The mi!imal dose of a #articular drug ca#a"le of #roduci!g death i! a gi&e!
#erce!tage of the #o#ulatio!
)xam#les of *D a!d )D +easures
)D/0 ''' The does that #roduces the i!te!ded drug effect i! /0 #erce!t of the #o#ulatio! u!der
study
)D100 ''' The dose #roduci!g the i!te!ded drug effect i! 100 #erce!t of the #o#ulatio!
*D/0 ''' The dose #roduci!g death i! /0 #erce!t of the #o#ulatio! u!der study
*D100 ''' The dose #roduci!g death i! 100 #erce!t of the #o#ulatio!
)xam#les of Acute Toxicity
Accide!tal lethal o&erdose of heroi!
0eha&ioral da!gers from "ei!g 1high2
Da!gerous com"i!atio!s of se&eral drugs
)xam#les of 3hro!ic Toxicity
*i&er disease due to chro!ic alcoholic co!sum#tio!
*u!g ca!cer due to chro!ic to"acco smo4i!g
3ardio&ascular disease due to chro!ic to"acco smo4i!g
Pulmo!ary disease due to chro!ic to"acco smo4i!g
Drugs Tolera!ce Defi!ed
Tolera!ce is the ca#acity of a s#ecific dose of a drug to ha&e a gradually dimi!ished effect o!
the user as the drug is ta4e! re#eatedly
Tolera!ce re5uires that a higher does of a drug to "e ta4e! to #roduce a! e5ui&ale!t effect
Tolera!ce effects ca! "e 5uite da!gerous$ "ecause ex#erie!ced drug users ofte! e!d u# ta4i!g
#ote!tially lethal dose le&els
0eha&ioral Tolera!ce
0eha&ioral tolera!ce is form of tolera!ce that occurs %he! a drug is used i! the same
surrou!di!gs or u!der the same circumsta!ces Also called co!ditio!ed tolera!ce
The setti!g %ithi! %hich drug'ta4i!g "eha&ioral occurs is a! im#orta!t factor i! "eha&ioral
tolera!ce
6u"sta!ce De#e!da!ce D6+ 3riteria
At least 3 out of the follo%i!g must a##ly %ithi! the #ast year.
Tolera!ce
7ithdra%al
8!i!te!tio!al 9&eruse
Persiste!t desire or efforts to co!trol drug use
Preoccu#atio! %ith the drug
The reductio! or a"a!do!me!t of im#orta!t social$ occu#atio!al$ or recreatio!al acti&ities i!
order to e!gage i! drug use
3o!ti!ued drug use des#ite ma:or drug'related #ro"lems
6ym#toms must ha&e #ersisted for more tha! a mo!th or occurred re#eatedly o&er a lo!ger #eriod of
time