Abused Prescription Overdose

Opioid use in the US has increased over the years, and this has led to an increase in substance abuse. Substance abuse is not only associated with use of illicit drugs but also prescription drugs. In 2015, of the 20.5 million reported cases of substance abuse, 2 million had an abuse disorder related to prescription pain relievers and 591,000 associated with heroin.1 The increase in substance abuse disorder has led to an increase in opioid related death. In 2015 drug overdose was the leading cause of accidental death in the US with 52, 404 lethal drug overdoses.2

Opioid drugs are some of the most widespread pain medications that we have in this country; indeed, the fact is that opioid analgesic prescriptions have increased by over 300% from 1999 to 2010 (Mitch 989). Consequently, the number of deaths from overdose increased from 4000 to 16,600 a year in the same time frame (Mitch 989). This fact becomes even more frightening when you think about today; the annual number of fatal drug overdoses in the Unites States now surpasses that of motor vehicle deaths (Alexander 1865). Even worse, overdose deaths caused by opioids specifically exceed those attributed to both cocaine and heroin combined (Alexander 1865).

Millions of people throughout the world are taking drugs on a daily basis. If you were to ask someone why they take prescription drugs, most people would be taking them for the right reason. However, it’s estimated that twenty percent of people in the United States alone have used prescription drugs for non-medical reasons.1 Prescription drug abuse is a serious and growing problem that often goes unnoticed. Abusing these drugs can often lead to addiction and even death. You can develop an addiction to certain drugs that may include: narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.1 Prescription drugs are the most common abused category of drugs, right next to marijuana, cocaine, heroin, and

Opioids are a class of drugs that are designed to relieve pain. They are synthetic forms of the naturally occurring opiate opium along with morphine and codeine, which are parts of the opium poppy. Prescription opioids include the painkillers hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), fentanyl (Duragesic), meperidine (Demerol), and hydromorphone (Dilaudid), amongst others. Opioids of this variety are prescribed for a variety of reasons ranging from severe acute pain resulting from injury to post surgery pain relief. Illicit opioids include heroin and any opioids that are not taken are prescribed. While helpful in treating pain that needs immediate attention, prescription opioids are not ideal to treat chronic pain. Opioids, both prescribed and illicit, are highly addictive and potentially dangerous.

Additionally, opioid medications are the primary cause for overdose deaths in the United States. According to the Weekly Standard, “In 2014, the most recent year for which we have measurements, 47,055 Americans died from drug-induced deaths, with almost 29,000 dying from opioids…” (2), a figure that includes illicit synthetics, heroin, and prescriptions. From 2015 to 2016 in Maryland, fentanyl deaths rose by 268 percent and heroin deaths by sixty eight percent. Fentanyl has contributed to this dramatic increase in OD deaths because of its potency and lethality. It only takes two milligrams of fentanyl to kill a human. In fact, a single kilogram of fentanyl is capable of killing 500,000 people (Murray, Blake, and Walters 2). More than 30,000 opioid deaths occurred for the first time ever in 2015, which is 5,000 more than in 2014. Since the 1990s, heroin deaths had not surpassed prescription opioids (oxycodone and hydrocodone) until now. In 2007, gun homicides outnumbered heroin deaths at a rate of five to one, however at the height of the epidemic, now heroin OD deaths outnumber gun homicides (Ingraham 2). It is obvious that these unprecedented levels of drug deaths are derived from the opioid epidemic and need immediate attention.

As the war on drugs continues, more and more lives are being lost to opiate overdoses. Opiates are drugs that contain or are derived from the opium poppy plant. They can be legally prescribed pain medications such as OxyContin or Vicodin or illegal street drugs such as heroin. Whether these drugs are used legally or illegally, there is always the chance of an overdose if not used correctly. According to a 2014 press release from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), “in 2013 more than 16,000 deaths in the United States involved prescription opioids, and more than 8,000 others were related to heroin.”

As of 2014, 20,000 deaths were associated with narcotics and prescription drug overdoses in the United States. The most recent death of Prince has continued to keep the conversation of drug overdoses. Many patients use prescription drugs to control pain especially those with cancer. Drugs used to help patients can cause a serious addiction and may become dangerous with abuse.

There are three commonly abused drugs, and they are opiods, Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants. Opioids such as Vicodin, Oxytocin, or Codeine, are taken for pain relieving. The side effects for opioids like oxycotin can be constipation. CNS depressants such as Xanex are usually taken for anxiety and sleeping disorders. Stimulants such as Adderall, are usually taken by people who have Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. They are taken usually to increase the level of nervous activity in the body. The side effects for taking Adderall is that it can raise one's blood pressure which makes the heart work harder (Hamilton, 2009). People don't usually see these medication over the counter because these usually have a strong effect, which is why they need to be prescribed. Prescription drugs always has risks to taking them, which is why doctors need to consider all the risks and benefits before prescribing the drug. Pharmacists take into account all the drug interaction, history of medications taken, and even the weight of whom they are about to prescribe the medication to. Doctors usually knows

Prescription drugs such as opioids, stimulants, and sedatives are being used appropriately for medical reasons, however fifty-two million people have used these drugs for non-medical reasons (Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), 2012). Unfortunately, it has been realized that this issue is becoming an epidemic, and that seventy-eight people are dying each day from prescription overdoses setting a record high in 2014 and beating out

Every 14 minutes, a person is killed by prescription drugs -- and unlike most other causes of preventable death, which have been on the decline for years, medication-induced deaths are on the upswing across the US. According to a recent analysis conducted by the Los Angeles Times (LA Times), drug-induced deaths have become so prevalent that their average yearly total now exceeds the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents. It is truly a sad day in the world when the very medications prescribed for treating disease are one of the leading causes of death, including among young children. And based on data retrieved by the LA Times, the number of drug fatalities has doubled within the past ten years, as legal drugs now kill nearly 38,000 Americans

Drug overdose deaths have become the leading cause of injury death in the United States. We all know that a pill is a commonly use prescribe in the United States in terms of clinically intervention to individuals seeking solution to their problem. Sociocultural beliefs can shape the approach to and behavior regarding drug use and drug abuse. People take drugs or pill for a variety reason; to feel good, to feel better, and to comfort the needs, and to relieve the pain. Most people take this drug when they feel depressed, Anxiety, back pain, headache ect… For example, hydrocodone pill, people think of this kind of pill is a quick pain reliever which it is not necessary to take them. When they craved for this pill, they become addictive and led

Unbeknownst to the everyday individual, there is a raging issue going on within our nation that involves the rising surge of narcotic misuse and overdose. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), from 1999 to 2014, more than 165,000 people have died in the United States from overdoses related to prescription opioids. In 2014, almost 2 billion people either abused or overdosed on prescription opioids, and of which 14,000 were fatal. Today, the heartbreaking statistics indicate to us that at least half of all overdose deaths involve a prescription opioid. (CDC, 2016) Thus, this information leads us all to wonder where these addictions are sparked and where the prescriptions are being administered. One extremely popular route, involves our Emergency Departments (ED) all across the nation. For the remainder of this paper, we will discuss the clinical portion of this issue, and the interventions that all medical professionals can put into place to help lower the numbers of these statistics.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched Prescription Drug Overdose: Prevention for States, a program to combat the ongoing prescription drug overdose epidemic in the US. $20 million will go to 16 states, providing the resources and expertise to prevent deaths caused by prescription drugs.

HAIR a sample of hair is remove direct from the head are from a hair brush. A single hair can tell the DNA of someone. Hair analysis can also pick up certain health issues.Hair is predominantly used to test for drugs such as amphetamines, cocaine, marijuana (THC) and heroin, and more recently tests have been created to determine if the deceased was drinking heavily in the last few months before death.

My mom had to make the decision whether or not we should go back and live with my dad or move and start a new life after her overdose in January 2016. My mom had to make her decision a week after she got out of the hospital for her overdose. My mom had to think of herself, her five kids, my dad, and my mom and dads marriage, she had to think long and hard about it, she didn't even tell my dad she was going to leave until she did it. My dad thought she was coming back but she never did. My mom says she would make the same decision today, even though it was hard at first we have all done better since we left my dad's, and my hometown of Rudolph, Ohio. Another reason she would make the same decision is because things never would have been the