Vicodin
Vicodin
Vicodin is prescription medication that is used to treat moderate to severe pain in adults. The two main ingredients in Vicodin are Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is considered to be a pain reliever that acts similarly to codine and is effective at decreasing the pain as well as relieving cough, however its can also cause drowsiness, mood changes, and metal “clouding”. Because of this reason the it can only be used when combined with another drug and not alone, as far as in the United States. Therefore its combined with acetaminophen, which is also a pain reliever along with a fever reducer. The combination of these two drugs helps improve acetaminophen’s effectiveness at relieving pain as well as limiting the potential abuse of Hydrocodone. The maximum dose of Vicodin is usually controlled by the amount of acetaminophen that it contains. Some of the side effects of Vicodin are the following: lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea and vomiting. More severe side effects are the following: the urge to take more Vicodin than prescribed or for non-medical purpose, confusion, anxiety, fear, severe constipation, slow or irregular breathing, a slow heart rate, difficulty passing urine, low blood pressure, severe drowsiness, signs of liver damage (yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin, upper-right abdominal pain, dark urine). Most of the effects that Vicodin has on physiology have to do with emotion changes. If Vicodin is taken for a long period of time then it causes the body and brain to make changes at the cellular level so that tissues and organs continue to function properly, despite the presence of the drug. Some of these changes occur in the area of the brain that is responsible for learning and responding. So when the individual stops using this medication they experience withdrawals, which in most cases results in depression, anxiety, and agitation. The effects that Vicodin has anatomical speaking are
Vicodin is prescription medication that is used to treat moderate to severe pain in adults. The two main ingredients in Vicodin are Hydrocodone bitartrate and acetaminophen. Hydrocodone is considered to be a pain reliever that acts similarly to codine and is effective at decreasing the pain as well as relieving cough, however its can also cause drowsiness, mood changes, and metal “clouding”. Because of this reason the it can only be used when combined with another drug and not alone, as far as in the United States. Therefore its combined with acetaminophen, which is also a pain reliever along with a fever reducer. The combination of these two drugs helps improve acetaminophen’s effectiveness at relieving pain as well as limiting the potential abuse of Hydrocodone. The maximum dose of Vicodin is usually controlled by the amount of acetaminophen that it contains. Some of the side effects of Vicodin are the following: lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, nausea and vomiting. More severe side effects are the following: the urge to take more Vicodin than prescribed or for non-medical purpose, confusion, anxiety, fear, severe constipation, slow or irregular breathing, a slow heart rate, difficulty passing urine, low blood pressure, severe drowsiness, signs of liver damage (yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin, upper-right abdominal pain, dark urine). Most of the effects that Vicodin has on physiology have to do with emotion changes. If Vicodin is taken for a long period of time then it causes the body and brain to make changes at the cellular level so that tissues and organs continue to function properly, despite the presence of the drug. Some of these changes occur in the area of the brain that is responsible for learning and responding. So when the individual stops using this medication they experience withdrawals, which in most cases results in depression, anxiety, and agitation. The effects that Vicodin has anatomical speaking are
Bibliography: "Vicodin (Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen) Drug Information: User Reviews, Side Effects, Drug Interactions and Dosage at RxList." Web. 09 Dec. 2010. http://www.rxlist.com/vicodin-drug.htm. "Vicodin Information from Drugs.com." Drugs.com | Prescription Drugs - Information, Interactions & Side Effects. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. http://www.drugs.com/vicodin.html. "Vicodin Oral Uses and How to Use." HealthCentral.com - Trusted, Reliable and Up To Date Health Information. Web. 09 Dec. 2010. http://www.healthcentral.com/chronic-pain/find-drug-25443-25.html Dhillon Manjot Dhillon Kenna, Kat Bio 10 9 December 2010