Prescription drug abuse risks

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. 

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. 

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... 

Sibutramine use also carries the risk of side effects, which include elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate, dry mouth, nausea, and dizziness. Abuse of sibutramine can cause dilated pupils, excessive bleeding or bruising, tremor, and anxiety. As with all prescription drugs, it is essential to use sibutramine according a doctor s instructions. The alternative is the possibility of unpleasant side effects and dangerous outcomes. 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) estimates that there were approximately 900,000 Americans age 12 and older misusing prescription stimulants in 1999. Because of its popularity as a treatment for ADHD, adolescents are at a special risk for misusing dextroamphetamine drugs. 

Women are more likely than men to receive prescribed drugs that are abused among adult populations. These prescribed drugs are most often antidepressants and pain relievers. Evidence indicates that men and women are at similar risk for becoming addicted to opioids. However, women are far more likely to become addicted to other types of prescription drugs than men. 

Prescription Drugs Antibiotic Resistance HIV and AIDS Painkiller Risks General Medical Information Discussions of Pros/Cons of Homeopathy Steroids and Steroid Abuse... 

Abuse of diet pills is a problem not only due to the concern about the health effects, but also because laws can be broken in the process. Obviously, it is easier to abuse drugs that are more readily available—for example, an over-the-counter laxative— but it can be surprisingly easy to obtain diet pills that require a prescription. .. if one is willing to risk the dangers of dealing with the black market. ... 

Another group that is potentially at increased risk for abuse of painkillers is doctors, nurses, pharmacists, anesthesiologists, dentists, veterinarians, and others who work in health care. It may be easier for people working in environments where drugs are kept or dispensed to either steal pills or forge prescriptions for themselves or others. 

Do not independently self-regulate the amount or frequency of prescription use, because these drugs have a high potential for abuse, and in addition there can be a risk of adverse affects or even overdose."... 

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