DEA Pharmacology and Drug Effects Flashcards

What is the primary mechanism of action of opioids at the cellular level?

Answer: They bind to mu, kappa, and delta opioid receptors

Opioids primarily bind to mu, kappa, and delta opioid receptors in the central nervous system, reducing pain signal transmission.

Which neurotransmitter is primarily responsible for cocaine's intense euphoric effects?

Answer: Dopamine

Cocaine blocks dopamine reuptake in the nucleus accumbens, causing a surge of dopamine that produces intense euphoria.

What pharmacological term describes the need for increasing doses of a drug to achieve the same effect over time?

Answer: Tolerance

Tolerance occurs when the body adapts to a drug's presence, requiring progressively higher doses to achieve the original therapeutic or euphoric effect.

Which drug class works primarily by enhancing GABA inhibitory activity at the GABA-A receptor?

Answer: Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines bind to GABA-A receptors and enhance the inhibitory effect of GABA, producing sedation, anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant effects.

Which synthetic opioid is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine by weight?

Answer: Fentanyl

Fentanyl is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine, making it extremely dangerous even in microgram quantities and a leading driver of overdose deaths.

What term describes the physiological symptoms that occur when a chronically used drug is abruptly discontinued?

Answer: Withdrawal syndrome

Withdrawal syndrome occurs when physical dependence has developed and the drug is discontinued, producing rebound physiological effects often opposite to the drug's original actions.

Which route of drug administration typically produces the fastest onset of pharmacological effects?

Answer: Intravenous injection

Intravenous injection delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing all absorption barriers and producing near-immediate effects within seconds.