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Definition

Stimulants are drugs that increase your heart rate, breathing rate, and brain function. Some stimulants affect only a specific organ, such as the heart, lungs, brain, or nervous system.

Epinephrine is a stimulant. It is given during cardiac arrest to make the heart beat.

Other times, stimulants can cause unwanted side effects. For example, pseudoephedrine found in some cold medicines can increase the heart rate.

Gallery

ECG
The electrocardiogram (ECG) is used extensively in the diagnosis of heart disease, from congenital heart disease in infants to myocardial infarction and myocarditis in adults. Several different types of electrocardiogram exist.

References

Taber's Medical Dictionary Online website. www.tabers.com/tabersonline. Accessed April 16, 2021.

Last reviewed January 16, 2021 by Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team..

Related specialties

Clinical Trials: Stimulants

UF Health research scientists make medicine better every day. They discover new ways to help people by running clinical trials. When you join a clinical trial, you can get advanced medical care. Sometimes years before it's available everywhere. You can also help make medicine better for everyone else. If you'd like to learn more about clinical trials, visit our clinical trials page. Or click one of the links below:

Paired tVNS with ERP in OCD

In the proposed investigation, the investigator will develop pilot data for the use of tVNS (transcutaneous vagal nerve stimulation) to enhance efficacy of exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP) to improve treatment success in patients with…

Status
Accepting Candidates
Ages
18 Years - 55 Years
Sexes
All
Physiology, Imaging and Modeling of Essential Tremor

This project aims to investigate novel ways to deliver brain stimulation to Essential Tremor (ET) patients by introducing software changes to their existing devices. The study team aims to investigate safety and efficacy of these new stimulation…

Investigator
Joshua Wong
Status
Accepting Candidates
Ages
18 Years - 80 Years
Sexes
All

News and Patient Stories: Stimulants

Vehicle Heat Safety for Children

Unfortunately, child deaths and heat-related illness, like dying from heatstroke in a hot car, increase during summer. Since 1998, more than 950 children have…

Small child looking out car window
More Stimulants stories

Latest podcast episodes

ADHD stimulants linked to weight changes in kids

Childhood obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder are obviously very different conditions, but could the two be linked? At first thought, the idea may sound silly. However, scientific...

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