Prescription/OTC. Paola Caliguiran and Savanna Walker

Transcription

1 Prescription/OTC Paola Caliguiran and Savanna Walker

2 Facts Prescription drug abuse is when someone takes a medication that was prescribed for someone else or takes their own prescription in a way not intended by a doctor. Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs: o Opiods (Painkillers) o Depressants (Ex. Xanax) o Stimulants (Adderall) When prescription drugs are taken as directed, they are usually safe. But when abused, they affect the brain and body in ways very similar to illicit drugs. Most commonly abused OTCs are cough and cold medicines

3 Description Content of Most Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs o o o Opiods (Painkillers) Oxycodone has the greatest potential for abuse and the greatest dangers. It is as powerful as heroin. Hydrocodone is used in combination with other chemicals and is available in prescription pain medications. Meperidin and hydromorphone (Dilaudid) come in tablets and propoxyphene in capsules, but all three have been known to be crushed and injected, snorted or smoke Depressants (Ex. Xanax) Dextromethorphdextromethorphan produces out-of-body experiences. Stimulants (Adderall. ADHD Medicine) Dextroamphetamine saccharate, amphetamine aspartate, dextroamphetamine sulfate, amphetamine sulfate Achieve their effects by acting on the same neurotransmitter systems as cocaine

4 Abuse It becomes abuse once people start using prescription drugs for purposes other than what was directed by the doctor, or taking the drugs more times than what was recommended. OTCs can be easily abused because they can be bought at any local drugstore. It is also abuse if you take someone else s medicine, or if you take prescription medicine to get high.

5 Types Effects on the Brain: Pain medications bind to the same receptors that respond to heroin. These receptors are found on nerve cells in many areas of the brain and body, especially in brain areas involved in the perception of pain and pleasure. Stimulants have similar effects to cocaine, by causing a buildup of dopamine and norepinephrine. Depressants make a person feel calm and relaxed. Other Effects: Abusing opiods (pain medication) can cause you to feel sleepy. Abusing stimulants can cause you to feel paranoid

6 Dangers/Effects cont d Health problems: o Opioids can cause choking, changes in mood, decreased cognitive function, interruptions in the menstrual cycle, infertility and slowed breathing. There s a risk of coma or death if there s a severe slowdown in breathing. o Depressants can cause memory problems and lead to seizures. o Using some stimulants can cause an increase in body temperature and abnormal heartbeat. There s also a risk of cardiovascular problems and fatal seizures. Addiction Accidents o Interference with driving Poor Academic Performance Legal trouble

7 How is it administered? They are administered by doctors, nurses, and nurse practitioners. OTCs can be bought over the counter at local drugstores.

8 Short term & Long term Effects Short Term Short term effects for this drug include breathing problems, dizziness, hallucinations and severe headaches Long Term Long term effects due to abuse of this drug are asthma, heart disease, epilepsy, glaucoma and diabetes

9 Dependence According to results from the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 2.4 million Americans used prescription drugs non medically for the first time within the past year, which averages to approximately 6,600 initiates per day. Being one of the easiest abusive drugs to get ahold of, many teens are now being able to abuse it. Prescriptions drugs are easily addictive resulting in over the counter drugs being one of the most abused form of drug in the world.

10 Manufacturing Prescription drugs are made with a combination of specific compounds made to target a specific illness or to ease pain in the body. The ingredients in these prescription can be human made or harvested from the Earth depending on what the ingredient is.

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12 Statistics Every day in the US, 2,500 youth (12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time. A 2007 survey in the US found that 3.3% of 12- to 17-year-olds and 6% of 17- to 25-yearolds had abused prescription drugs in the past month. Of the 22,400 drug overdose deaths in the US in 2005, opioid painkillers were the most commonly found drug, accounting for 38.2% of these deaths. In 2005, 4.4 million teenagers (aged 12 to 17) in the US admitted to taking prescription painkillers, and 2.3 million took a prescription stimulant such as Ritalin. The average age for first-time users is now 13 to 14.