heart+drugs-gold+class+'09

=//Heart drugs: Atenolol //= -Taniera Reid & Brianna Thompson toc = = =**Background** = = =  My topic was heart drugs, but I will be focusing on one specific heart drug, Atenolol. We use atenolol to treat angina (chest pain) and hypertension (high blood pressure). It is also used to treat or prevent heart attack. This medication is used in the majority of the countries. However, the information given to us in the United States about the drug may differ from the information given I other countries. Amongst other heart medications, Atenolol has been found in our drinking water. This could be a danger according to the study “Trace Amount of Drugs in Water Alarms Philadelphia Residents”.

=**Health Implications** = = =  Atenolol causes dizziness when taken with alcohol, may also cause light headedness, may reduce the amount of blood that flows to your hands or feet, atenolol may make you more sensitive to cold, people with high blood pressure might feel extreme tiredness. This drug may hide signs of low blood sugar so diabetics have to check their blood sugar often. Heart medications have been shown to cause harm to a fetus, you shouldn’t breast feed while taking them because they can be transferred through the breast milk to the infant. Atenolol is a beta-blocker. Beta Blockers are a classification for drugs that are normally used for cardiac arrhythmias, after someone suffers from cardiac arrest or hypertension. It lowers blood pressure and to stop symptoms of angina (chest pains). It lessens the pressure put on the heart so that it can function better. The respiratory system is affected by atenolol, the cardiovascular system

=**Environmental Implications** = = =  The chemical Atenolol interacts with the environment because it is found in our drinking water which not only affect the humans in our environment but the animals also. When atenolol degrades, it breaks down into different chemicals. Not exactly harmful chemicals. Atenolol should not be disposed via water shed or household waste. Ask pharmacist how to disposed of medicines that are no longer required These measure will help save the environment.

=**Abstract** = = =  The chemical atenolol is very useful. It helps with various heart complications and diseases. This chemicals as well as other pharmaceuticals are found in the drinking water of the average American. Is this harmful? Well, considering the average American doesn’t have heart disease, this unneeded drug could later cause complications within the human body. We also use atenolol to treat angina (chest pain) and hypertension (high blood pressure). According to the article, “Trace Amount of Drugs in Water Alarms Philadelphia Residents” this unwanted dosage of heart medication taken every time we drink tap water could possibly cause us danger later in life.

Environmentally, this drug is not only affecting humans, but it’s also affecting animals. Poor innocent animals drinking water to stay alive are affected because drugs are not fully cleaned out of the water we drink. Atenolol causes dizziness when taken with alcohol, may also cause light headedness, may reduce the amount of blood that flows to your hands or feet, atenolol may make you more sensitive to cold, people with high blood pressure might feel extreme tiredness. These are serious complications if you consider the fact that mostly all Americans drink not only tap but also bottled water daily.

There are measure to be taken, however, because atenolol is a chemical, it is found in most to all heart medications. This chemical is specifically made to treat difficulties pertaining to the heart. By eliminating the chemical completely, we’d be harming the one’s who need it but helping those of us taking medication every time we have a glass of water. However, the average American does not have complications with the heart meaning there is a minority and a majority here. The majority of Americans don’t need heart medications and minority of Americans do. What to do? How to act? This is up to the Scientist of America. There could be another chemical to help treat same symptoms as atenol, but it’s just undiscovered. I think if scientist band together from all over the world, there would be an alternative medication established.

=**Synthesis/Production Section:** = = = <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> The tablet is made from compressed powders. The materials are placed in quarantine until samples are tested to make sure they are satisfactory, before they make the tablets they have a copy of the formula and the instructions sent to the dispensary and there the dispenser weighs out each of the materials. They clean the manufacturing equipment of each batch. This is done to remove any residue from the previous batch. Atenolol is the active ingredient and its mixed with excipients in a granulator. The solution is added to the powder mixture to form a wet mass. The wet granulation is finished after a number of predetermined physical physical characteristics have been met. The characteristics are important part in the compression of the granules and the rate of drug release from the final tablets. The granules are dried in a fluid bed dryer next. During the process the moist materials are fluidized with a direct flow of hot air. The air is introduced from the base and forced through the base bowl that holds the granules. Intimate contact between the granules and the air evaporates the binder solution and dries the powder to a moisture that was predetermined. To get the granules to the desired particle size, the dried granule is milled. This process is referred to in the flow diagram as dry granulation. Lubricants are introduced before the compression and mixed into the granules by blending.. The lubricants are used in tablet formulations to ease the ejection of the tablet from the dye at the compression stage and to prevent them from sticking to the punches of the compression machine. The common product made with this chemical is Tenormin and that is made with the same process listed above. =<span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace;"> **Economic/Political Impact** = = = <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; text-align: center; display: block;"> If this chemical were banned, people who need the medicine to survive would need the medicine and would be greatly affected. Depending on what the alternatives are, the cost would be different. Say for instance an alternative was better for the environment, the cost wouldn’t be hard to bear. If an alternative chemical was worse for the environment perhaps more harmful, the alternative would be hard to bear. If this product were banned, we would not be able to use this product. People with heart disabilities would not have this medication to help with and prevent heart disease. The United States of America,, Great Britain, France, Japan, Spain etc. use atenolol. Considering the average American does not have heart complications, I or the average American would not be affected for the most part. However, because atenolol is found in our drinking water, I am greatly affected and these pharmaceuticals found in my and the average American’s drinking water could harm me and the average America in the future.

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