Prevalence and patterns of drug use

This chapter gives an overview of the prevalence, patterns and consequences of drug use across the EU based on surveys, routine statistics and other research. Emphasis is placed on national data, which may mask 

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Mellinger GD, Balter MB Prevalence and patterns of use of psychotropic drugs results from a 1979 national survey of American adults, in Epidemiological Impact of Psychotropic Drugs Proceedings of International Seminar on Psychotropic Drugs. Edited by Tognomi G, Bellantuono C, Lader M. Amsterdam, North Holland, 1981, pp 117-... 

HIV involvement. The prevalence, predictors, and patterns of cannabis use—specifically medicinal cannabis use among patients with HIV—were examined. Any cannabis use in the year prior to interview and self-defined medicinal use were evaluated. A cross-sectional multicenter survey and retrospective chart review were conducted to evaluate overall drug utilization in HIV, including cannabis use. HIV-positive adults were identified through the HIV Ontario Observational Database 104 consenting patients were interviewed. Forty-three percent of the patients reported cannabis use, whereas 29% reported medicinal use. Reasons for use were similar by gender although... 

A retrospective review of 462,969 adult patients was carried out to assess the risk and pattern of cutaneous adverse reactions associated with the use of PPIs. Sixty-four patients with cutaneous adverse reactions were identified within the study population, and matched with 65 subjects, who did not experience adverse events while on therapy with PPIs. The overall prevalence of cutaneous reactions was 22.6 per 100,000 treated subjects, with specific values of 20, 16,15,10 and 3 per 100,000 for lansoprazole, pantoprazole, omeprazole, rabeprazole and esomeprazole, respectively. Most cutaneous reactions were attributed to omeprazole (n = 50 78.1%). The most frequent reaction was maculo-papular rash (43.8%), but other adverse events included cases of angioedema and/or urticaria, Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis, erytiiema multiforme, eczematous drug eruption, urticarial vasculitis and fixed drug eruption. None of the patients experienced cross-reactions among individual PPIs [34 ]. 

For each drug, the prevalence of abuse was partly attributable to its absolute availability — for example, the over-the-counter status of dextromethorphan (DXM) or the expansion of fentanyl and butorphanol from inpatient to outpatient use. But the pattern of abuse for each drug was distinctive and probably could not have been predicted from the available experimental abuse-liability data. 

The NHSDA is directed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Since 1971, it has provided annual estimates of the prevalence (patterns of use) of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the United States, monitoring trends since that time. Results from this survey are based on a representative sample of the U.S. population 12 years and older. Marijuana-specific data are presented as a subcategory of illicit drugs. ... 

The main disadvantage of GHB s use as a sleep aid is its short half-life. As soon as GHB s effects wear off (in about 3 hours), people have a tendency to wake up. This pattern, termed the dawn effect, is more prevalent with higher doses of the drug. Some people take low doses of GHB, while others choose to take a second dose of GHB to help them sleep for another 3 hours. However, not everyone can be put to sleep by GHB. Studies have shown that at doses that make most people fall asleep, some people remain conscious and alert. 

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