Treating Disease: Medicines and Other Treatments Flashcards

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What is a medicine?

A medicine is a substance used to treat or prevent disease, often by killing microbes or easing symptoms.

What is meant by a symptom of a disease?

A symptom is a change you can feel or see, such as pain, a cough, or a high temperature, that shows you may have a disease.

How do painkillers treat disease?

Painkillers do not kill pathogens. They reduce or block pain so you feel better while your body fights the disease.

What is the difference between a medicine that cures a disease and one that only treats the symptoms?

A curing medicine removes the cause of the disease, such as killing bacteria. A symptom‑treating medicine only makes you feel better but does not remove the cause.

Why do doctors not always give medicines for mild infections like colds?

For many mild infections, the immune system can clear the pathogens on its own. Medicines might not help much and can cause side effects.

What is a side effect of a medicine?

A side effect is an unwanted effect of a medicine, such as feeling sick or getting a rash, that happens as well as the helpful effect.

Why is it important to follow the dose and timing on medicine labels?

Taking the right dose at the right time helps the medicine work well and lowers the risk of harm from taking too much.

Give two examples of treatments for disease that are not medicines.

Examples include surgery to remove damaged tissue and physiotherapy or exercise plans to help the body recover.

Why might two patients with the same disease be given different treatments?

Doctors choose treatments to suit each person, depending on things like age, other illnesses, allergies, and how serious the disease is.

Why are some medicines only available on prescription from a doctor?

Some medicines are very strong or can be dangerous if used in the wrong way, so a doctor must decide if they are safe and what dose you should take.

What type of medicine is used to kill bacteria inside the body?

Antibiotics are medicines that can kill bacteria inside the body or stop them growing.