Narcotic Abuse Glossary of Terms

1. OTC and Prescription Drug Abuse Slideshow Pictures
2. Health Risks of Alcohol Abuse Slideshow Pictures

Abdominal: Relating to the abdomen, the belly, that part of the body that contains all of ...

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Acute: Of abrupt onset, in reference to a disease. Acute often also connotes an illness th...

Acute pain: Pain that comes on quickly, can be severe, but lasts a relatively shorter peri...

Addiction: An uncontrollable craving, seeking, and use of a substance such as alcohol or a...

Analgesia: The inability to feel pain.

Analgesic: A drug that relieves pain.

Antagonist: A substance that acts against and blocks an action. Antagonist is the opposite...

Anxiety: A feeling of apprehension and fear, characterized by physical symptoms such as pa...

Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, w...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Buprenorphine: A prescription medication for people addicted to heroin or other opiates th...

Cancer: An abnormal growth of cells which tend to proliferate in an uncontrolled way and, ...

Chronic: In medicine, lasting a long time. A chronic condition is one that lasts 3 months ...

Coma: A state of deep, unarousable unconsciousness. A coma may occur as a result of head t...

Constipation: Infrequent and frequently incomplete bowel movements. Constipation is the op...

Corneal: Pertaining to the cornea, the clear front window of the eye that transmits and fo...

Department of Health and Human Services: The United States government's principal agency f...

Depression: An illness that involves the body, mood, and thoughts and that affects the way...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Diarrhea: A common condition that involves unusually frequent and liquid bowel movements. ...

Dysfunction: Difficult function or abnormal function.

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Euphoria: Elevated mood. Euphoria is a desirable and natural occurrence when it results f...

FDA: Food and Drug Administration.

Food and Drug Administration: An agency within the US Public Health Service that provides ...

Gooseflesh: A temporary local change in the skin when it becomes rougher due to erection o...

Health and Human Services: The United States government's principal agency for "protecting...

Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. ...

Heart disease: Any disorder that affects the heart. Sometimes the term "heart disease" is ...

Heart valves: There are four heart valves. All are one-way valves. Blood entering the ...

Heroin: Semisynthetic drug derived from morphine. Discovered in 1874, it was introduced co...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on ...

Kidney: One of a pair of organs located in the right and left side of the abdomen. The kid...

Liver: The largest solid organ in the body, situated in the upper part of the abdomen on t...

Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon...

Marijuana: A common street and recreational drug that comes from the marijuana plant: the ...

Menstrual: Pertaining to menstruation (the menses), as in last menstrual period, menstrua...

Menstrual cycle: The monthly cycle of changes in the ovaries and the lining of the uteru...

Methadone: A synthetic opiate. The most common medical use for methadone is as a legal sub...

Morphine: A powerful narcotic agent that has strong analgesic (pain relief) action and oth...

Muscle: Muscle is the tissue of the body which primarily functions as a source of power. T...

Naloxone: A drug that antagonizes morphine and other opiates. Naloxone is a pure opiate an...

Narcan: Brand name for naloxone.

Narcotic: 1. A drug that causes insensibility or stupor. A narcotic induces narcosi...

Nasal: Having to do with the nose.

Nausea: Stomach queasiness, the urge to vomit. Nausea can be brought on by many causes, in...

Neonatal: Pertaining to the newborn period, specifically the first 4 weeks after birth.

Neurological: Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system as, for example, a neurol...

NIH: National Institutes of Health.

Nose: The external midline projection from the face. The purpose of the nose is to warm, c...

Opioid: 1. A synthetic narcotic that resembles the naturally occurring opiates. 2. Any sub...

Opium: An addictive narcotic drug that is derived from the unripe seedpods of the opium po...

Oxycodone: Oxycodone is the active ingredient in OxyContin. Oxycodone is an opioid, a clos...

OxyContin: A prescription painkiller that has become a popular and dangerous recreational ...

Oxygen: The odorless gas that is present in the air and necessary to maintain life. Oxygen...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Pneumonia: Inflammation of one or both lungs, with dense areas of lung inflammation. Pneum...

Pregnant: The state of carrying a developing fetus within the body.

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Regimen: A plan or a regulated course, such as a diet, exercise, or treatment, that is des...

Respiratory: Having to do with respiration.

Respiratory rate: The number of breaths per minute or, more formally, the number of moveme...

Resuscitation: The procedure of restoring to life, as in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CP...

Runny nose: The production of extra mucus by the nose. Rhinorrhea is the medical term for ...

Saliva: a watery secretion in the mouth produced by the salivary glands that aids in the d...

SAMHSA: A part of the U.S. Public Health Service, SAMHSA was established in 1992 and direc...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Substance: 1. Material with particular features.
2. The material that...

Substance abuse: The excessive use of a substance, especially alcohol or a drug. (There is...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Sweating: The act of secreting fluid from the skin by the sweat (sudoriferous) glands. The...

Syndrome: A combination of symptoms and signs that together represent a disease process.

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Unconscious: 1. Interruption of awareness of oneself and one's surroundings, lack ...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...

Withdrawal symptoms: Abnormal physical or psychological features that follow the abrupt di...

Yawning: Involuntary opening of the mouth with respiration, breathing first inward, then o...