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Normal Pregnancy

Staying Healthy

Alcohol and pregnancy Managing your weight gain in pregnancy Steps to take before you get pregnant When you need to gain more weight during pregnancy

What to expect during pregnancy

Aches and pains during pregnancy Choosing the right practitioner Common symptoms during pregnancy Hyperemesis Gravidarum Morning sickness Pregnancy and travel Pregnancy and work Problems sleeping during pregnancy Skin and hair changes during pregnancy Teenage pregnancy

Preparing to go home with your baby

Cribs and crib safety Eat right during pregnancy Preparing your other children

Visits and Tests

Amniocentesis Chorionic villus sampling Genetic counseling before pregnancy Glucose tolerance test-pregnancy Monitoring your baby before labor Nuchal translucency Prenatal care in your first trimester Prenatal care in your second trimester Prenatal care in your third trimester

Stimulants

Definition

Stimulants are chemicals (usually drugs or medicines 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 stimulate the heart and help restore the heartbeat.

Other times, stimulants can cause unwanted side effects. For example, pseudoephedrine found in some cold medicines can increase the heart rate. Caffeine, found in many beverages, may also increase the heart rate or cause a tremor.

References

Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company; 2021. www.tabers.com/tabersonline/view/Tabers-Dictionary/762879/all/stimulant. Accessed December 17, 2024.

Review Date: 1/1/2025

Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor Emeritus, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.