Introduction
Medications or drugs are substances that alter the physical and mental functioning of the body when taken. The application of medications to treat diseases stems from ancient societies which used herbal medicine such as fluid extracts from plants. Technology has evolved and allowed the production of medications to cure diseases and vaccines that immunize the body against infections. The following paper extrapolates the discussion on these main types of medications, their effects on the body, and what benefits they confer when taken by the patient.
Types of Medications
The first type of drug includes the general sales list (GSL), which encompasses those medications with few legal restrictions. The GSLs can be purchased from the shelves and applied to treat minor ailments such as colds and flu as they are safe and host minimal health risks. Common GSL medications include Chinese proprietary, traditional, homeopathic, and medicated balms, and oils. Along with being on-shelf availability of these drugs, they can also be supplied by automated vending machines. Generally, GSLs entail medicines that are easily gettable from the counter.
The second class of drugs includes pharmacy drugs, which are available only when a pharmacy is present. These drugs are under the government’s strict regulation, and pharmacists must refuse to sell them to patients who lack valid reasons to consume them. Along with their therapeutic purposes, these drugs are accessible online and offline; thus, patients can place orders without being physically present at the pharmaceutical premises (Camenga et al., 2019). Packages containing pharmacy medicines are labeled with the letter ‘P’ to make them identifiable.
Effects of Medications on the Body
Therapeutic remedies induce various outcomes in the body ranging from fighting infections, targeting neoplasm cells, and replacing deficient substances to changing the functioning of the cells. In fighting infections, medications kill or slow down the growth of microorganisms such as bacteria and viruses. For example, bacteriostatic drugs such as amoxicillin slow the body’s bacterial growth rate. In addition to fighting cancers, medications replace missing substances inside the body, restoring the levels of vitamins, iron, or even hormones such as insulin (Camenga et al., 2019). Lastly, drugs can change the functioning of the cells, especially in chronic diseases such as diabetes type 2 and asthma, whose etiology emanates from the malfunctioning of the cells. Medications such as Tenormin are imperative in treating hypertension as they make the heart muscles less sensitive to epinephrine.
When used orally, medications in the form of capsules, pills, caplets, liquids, or capsules must first be swallowed before entering the stomach through the esophagus. On occasion, pills can become stuck at the stomach-to-esophagus junction and cause a “pill ulcer” in the stomach lining. A medication is first dissolved in stomach acid before being discharged into the small bowel. Other medications travel throughout the gut and into the circulation before searching out their target receptors, whereas medications taken for digestion problems seek out their specific receptor immediately there in the vacuous gut (Camenga et al., 2019). While most medications pass the intestinal wall into the bloodstream, some, like iron, are pushed through the gut wall.
Blood contains the target receptor for several medications, such as blood thinners. Most of the rest get to the liver or brain via a carrier molecule. After arriving, the medication leaves the carrier and enters the target organ. After entering the body, the medication searches for its drug target, which may be found on the cell membrane, surrounding fluids, or inside the cell (nucleus). The drug molecule eventually binds to the target receptor and only then is it able to carry out the desired action. With the help of painkillers, the nerve’s pain signal is turned off (Camenga et al., 2019). The stomach’s acid secretion is stopped by reflux medication. Antidepressants alter the architecture of the brain, and depression gets better. Antibiotics destroy bacteria. A medicine can impact in various ways, but it must first bind to the targeted site.
Additionally, drugs may covertly attach to different receptors, producing undesirable side effects. If the dosage is too high, this is more likely to appear. In contrast, if the quantity is too low, the medicine is ineffective because it cannot contact the desired target receptor. This interaction illustrates why the dosage is crucial when administering a drug. Drugs drain out of the body after finishing their task at the target receptor. They might return to the blood, travel to the portal circulation for the kidney, undergo chemical alteration, and then be eliminated in the form of stools or urine (Camenga et al., 2019). Regular pharmaceutical use ensures that the substance is refilled in the system and kept at a level sufficient for it to carry out the intended function. Pharmacology, sometimes known as the study of drug action, is an interesting and challenging field.
Benefits of Medications on the Body
Medications can confer various advantages to patients when used in a prescribed dosage. Firstly, medications restore normal physiological functions where corrects faulty mechanisms and fixing the appropriate ones. For instance, drugs such as morphine reduce pain by lowering the prostaglandins responsible for pain. Secondly, medications prevent the patient from spreading the infecting organism (Camenga et al., 2019). For example, a patient with tuberculosis can reduce the spread of the bacteria by taking isoniazid. Lastly, medications restore the levels of critical components such as nutrients, vitamins, ions, and hormones, which resume the mediation of proper body functions.
Conclusion
Unequivocally, medications range from herbal concoctions to pharmaceutically prepared medicines. These medications can be classified holistically into four groups: GSLs, pharmacy drugs, POMs, and controlled drugs. This classification is based on the effects the drugs elicit in the body, where some provoke adverse effects such as addiction and dependence while others are abused. Nevertheless, the ultimate impact of medications on one’s body includes providing therapeutic outcomes such as reducing pain or restoring the expected levels of vital elements such as ions. With these effects, the body heals from the underlying pathologies. Thus, the patient regains their healthy state.
Reference
Camenga, D. R., Colon-Rivera, H. A., & Muvvala, S. B. (2019). Medications for maintaining opioid use disorder in adolescents: A narrative review and assessment of clinical benefits and potential risks.Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, 80(4), 393-402. Web.