Prescription drug abuse drugs

Research Report Prescription Drugs Abuse and Addiction, Bethesda, Md. National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH Publication No. 01-4881, July 2001. 

McCarthy M. Prescription drug abuse up sharply in the USA. Lancet 2007 369 1505-6. 

Business Wire. Ten Things You and Your Family Should Know about the Dangers of Prescription Painkillers, According to the Waismann Foundation. Available online. URL http //www.opiates.com/media/ prescription-painkiller-dangers.html. Posted September 7, 2004. This document aims to help parents become aware of the risks of this major source of prescription drug abuse. It encourages parents to talk with children about the risks and to look for signs of abuse. 

A common vocabulary has not been established in the field of prescription drug abuse. Because much of the survey data collected in this area refer to nonmedical use of prescription drugs, this definition of abuse, rather than that of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), is used. Also, because physical dependence to prescription medications can develop during medically supervised appropriate use, the term addiction is used to reflect dependence as defined by the DSM. 

Inciardi, James A. and Jennifer L. Good. 2003. OxyContin and Prescription Drug Abuse Miracle Medicine or Problem Drug Consumer s Research Magazine 86(7) 17. 

No medical use, high abuse potential Some medical use, high abuse potential Prescription drugs, abuse potential... 

Codeine plays a relatively minor role in the overall picture of opioid prescription drug abuse. Evidence indicates that proper prescribing of codeine for legitimate medical concerns does not greatly increase the risk of addiction and abuse. Those in the medical community agree that more education is needed on both sides to help prevent the potential for abuse and addiction, so that patients tmly in need are not denied access to codeine based on misperceptions and fear. The benefits for individuals and society are great when chronic pain is treated safely and effectively. 

Another area of concern in prescription drug abuse is with health-care providers, such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists, dentists, and others. These persons have ready access to highly addictive drugs, such as the opioids, and are more vulnerable to such abuse. In addition, these professions are more stressful than average, and this may be a factor in the higher-than-normal rates of abuse in this group. 

The increased vigilance of legal authorities to crack down on prescription drug abuse has led to situations where patients are afraid to ask for sufficient pain medication for fear of being seen as an addict or someone with a low pain threshold. Many physicians are afraid to prescribe opioids because they are required by law to record and justify all narcotic analgesic prescriptions. 

Prescription Drug Abuse and Misuse A Global Perspective 9... 

The 2004 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study (PATS), conducted by Partnership for a Drug-Free America, showed that prescription drug abuse is higher than or on par with most other illicit substances (Figure 1.2). PATS data indicates that one in five teenagers has abused Vicodin , and one in ten has abused OxyContin (a pain medication) or a stimulant such as Ritalin (a medication to control attention-deficit/hyperac-tivity disorder, or ADHD). 

Prescription drug abuse has infiltrated current teen culture. PATS data revealed that 37 percent of teens say they have close friends who have abused prescription painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin. Some 29 percent say the same about prescription stimulants Ritalin and Adderall . Average teens demonstrate a remarkable sophistication and knowledge when it comes to prescription (Rx) medications, which must be subscribed and supervised by a doctor, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, which are available for general purchase and use, and all other drugs. Teens are familiar with brand names of a wide variety of medications and can accurately describe their effects. 

All prescription drug abuse may lead to harmful consequences such as accidents, injuries, blackouts, legal problems, and unsafe sexual behavior, which can increase the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Specifically, each class of drugs has certain potentially life-threatening consequences of abuse. The abuse of opioids may lead to severe respiratory depression and inability to breathe, which can lead to death. Depressants may also cause respiratory depression and may lead to seizures if an addict suddenly stops taking them. Stimulants speed up the body s activities and raise blood pressure and heart rate, and when abused, may lead to a heart attack, stroke, or a seizure. Combinations... 

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