Oxycontin Research Paper

Over the past two decades, pharmaceutical companies have quietly invaded American’s homes by introducing new miracle drugs such as OxyContin into their daily lives. Purdue Pharmaceuticals introduced OxyContin saying it was a miracle cure for pain that would last twelve hours. However, “even when doctors began reporting that patients were complaining

Opioids are a class of drugs used to help an individual’s pain perception. They include prescriptive and nonprescriptive medications: morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and fentanyl. Heroin is also an opioid, but it is a classified Schedule 1 illegal drug.

Percocet is a medication prescribed by medical practitioners to patients to relieve moderate to severe pain. Percocet contains elements of acetaminophen and oxycodone. Oxycodone and acetaminophen are both pain relievers however, oxycodone is considered an opioid. Opioids are considered a Schedule II narcotic. Oxycodone was first established in Germany in 1916 as an alternative to highly addictive pain relievers heroin and morphine. Oxycodone mixed with aspirin created Percodan which was highly addictive. Unable to be used for post operation pain, Percocet was created in 1974. Percocet is twice as strong as morphine. Percocet has been FDA approved and been out on the market since 1976. Within the later part of the century doctors favored the Percocet more because of the influx of coal miners experiencing work related pain. The strenuous work of coal miners created the right environment for abuse and addiction to plant roots. Percocet followed coal miners until it gains traction in other states. At this time Percocet is legal and comes in

Unfortunately, the producers of Purdue Pharma’s Oxycontin didn’t realize how easy it was to break that outer shell, and have instant access to twelve hours worth of drugs. This realization by the public, caused a devastating and widespread increase in addition to the drug, and the transition to the drug seen as a “street” drug. Unlike many other types of medications where you can be prescribed a dosage and stay on that dosage for a long time. "Your body adapts to Oxycontin. Essentially, you require more to get the same effect, and what happens is a steady escalation in dosage. After a year or two of treatment, you are on extremely high levels of these drugs (Tunnel, 2005)". Oxycontin transitioned from a lifeline for people with chronic pain, to an addiction caused by a greedy corporation.

In the early 1990’s many doctors were hesitant in prescribing narcotics because they were seen as harmful and habit forming. Purdue Pharma the creator of OxyContin changed the ways of the drug industry. Purdue changed the mindset of many physicians and family doctors inconveniencing them that the new to the market drug was revolutionary, with promises of quick pain relief that last up to 12 hours. With marketing adds like “Remember, effective relief just takes two” Purdue Pharma convinced doctors that it was virtually impossible to become addicted (HARRIET RYAN, 2016). The rise of OxyContin started in 1996. OxyContin

In addition to Vicodin, the pain killer Oxycontin is also widely abused. It is used to treat severe pain that is expected to last a prolonged amount of time. Oxycontin has many similar side effects of Vicodin along with sweating, itching, loss of appetite, and severe weakness. It works by blocking the brain from receiving pain messages. The reason Oxycontin is so dangerous is because it is highly addictive and is a central nervous system depressant. It is believed that a younger healthier college student is more likely to become addicted to the drug rather than an older adult taking it for pain reasons. This is because taking Oxycontin to get high has a completely different effect on the body (“Oxycontin”).

OxyContin is a controlled drug containing oxycodone, the active ingredient responsible for eliminating the pain associated with: injuries, bursitis, dislocation, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, lower back pain, and pain associated with cancer. When taken according to the proper dosage, the oxycodone runs on a perfectly timed release in the body’s system in order to manage the pain. This narcotic, when abused, produces heroin like effects and can enable the user to develop a tolerance, forcing an increase in dosage per intake in order to achieve the desired effects. Though OxyContin is

To ease this pain researchers associated with Purdue Pharma created Oxycontin to help patients with chronic and unbearable pain resulting from accidents, cancer or old age. In every year since it was released, the number of prescriptions prescribed to patients has increased by several hundred percent. Oxycontin is a trade controlled release form of Oxycodone that is prescribed to treat chronic pain. When used properly, Oxycontin can provide pain relief for up to twelve hours. The drug enters the body and stimulates certain opoid receptors that are located

The patients who are in pain requires pain relief, but many of them with chronic pain have trouble with prescribed opioids either due to psychosocial problems

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.

Traditionally, doctors prescribed opioid treatments for pain-related medical conditions. Chronic pain in particular is difficult to treat. While the search for a cure is underway, the best most patients can hope for is effective management of their condition.

Some examples of opioid medications are: oxycodone, fentanyl, morphine, and meperidine (Hart 2013). Not all opioids are used for pain, but this paper will focus on those that are currently used for pain in the United States.

“More than 16,600 people a year, die from overdoses of drugs, including Methadone, Morphine, and Oxycodone (OxyContin) and Hydrocodone combined with Acetaminophen (Lortab and Vicodin)” stated Consumers Report. The drugs listed above are all examples of Opioids. They are individual drugs that launch endorphins to the central nervous system which controls pain and relieves the severity of pain felt or silences it. Opioids also generate a sense of exhilaration and a calmness which is a product of the Analgesic effect. That feeling is one of the main reasons why people abuse opioids, they

Opioids are pain relievers that bind to opioid receptors on nerve cells throughout the body. They produce feelings of euphoria, tranquility and sedation. However, opioids are “considered the most harmful of all illicit drugs” (Amato et al., 2005, p.321).

Oxycodone, often sold as OxyContin, is an opiate drug that come is an opioid that comes from the poppy plant. Sometimes, Oxycodone will be combined with over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to increase the effective and potency of the drug. In all of its forms, Oxycodone changes the way the central nervous system responds to pain by creating a euphoric and sedative effect. This time-released painkiller meant for patients who need of moderate to severe pain relief after surgery or a major