Prescription Opiates Research Paper

Opiate overdose may cause significant failure to health, physical distress, breathing damage and increase mortality and morbidity. Vitamin D deficiency causes muscle aches, periodontal disease, osteomalacia and osteoporosis [6-10]. Low bone mass has also been reported in opioid-dependent individuals

The main issue presented in this article is that current painkillers are highly addictive, and all have extremely risky side effects. This is leading an increasing amount of people each year to form a dependency for these drugs. Ultimately, resulting in more people dying every year from causes that include painkiller addiction also known as opioid addiction.

As we see the further progression of the opioid epidemic within the United States, pharmacists become the frontlines to recognizing and providing care for these patients. It is however difficult to provide care for a patient when even the professionals within the medical community have an associated stigma attached to the use of these drugs. Patients who have a need for these painkillers recognize this stigma, and by doing so decide to avoid consulting their doctors and do not seek the care which they need. They do this to avoid the discriminatory treatment they receive both within and on the outside of the healthcare system, and to avoid the legal repercussions associated with the misuse and abuse of these products1. It is therefore the pharmacists' job to avoid the stigmatization of these people and respect those who use these treatments for legitimate medical purposes.

Opioid abuse is a crisis that is plaguing America, in 2015 there we an estimated 15,000 deaths due to prescription opioids*. People are dying, and families are being ripped apart, a radical change needs to occur in order to save lives. Although there are many ways to attempt to solve this problem, here are three solutions that could potentially save lives; decriminalize all drugs, limit prescribed painkillers, and provide access to Narcan (naloxone).

Opioid abuse is deadly and silently decimating families across the country. It is legally used for a medication to treat severe pain but commonly used for patients after they come out of a surgery.The Opioid epidemic is a national health issue that needs to be addressed, and made a widespread topic of discussion.

The opioid epidemic has been the worst thing that has happened to our community or our country as a whole, much of which might have be prevented if doctor’s were not so quick to prescribe prescription after prescription of opioids on to their patients. According to Nora D. Volkow, Director, of the NIDA, The Federal government has provided restrictions on the over use of prescription medications and because individuals have developed dependence on the prescription opioids they resort to obtaining them illegally, and in some cases they are resorting to heroin for it is cheaper and easier to obtain (NIDA). Yes, these individuals have a choice to take them, and for a while they are alright, although as seen above the continued use can cause dependence which will cause withdrawal if they do not have these medications leading many to illegally obtaining and using these drugs. This is one reason one fights to see more treatment centers people can go, more harm reduction therapies that are going to help them become clean and live lives that are functional and socially

Opiate addiction is debilitating because it causes many behavioral and psychological effects. This drug is a strong pain reliever that if individuals begin to abuse it, it can cause overdose and even death. Opiate can lead to tolerance, which is the loss of control to distance oneself from a drug. Addicts will continue to use when they’re “fix” is low. Opiates do a lot of harm and is truly debilitating.

Opioids are prescription drugs that deal with reducing pain when taken. There are various types of prescription drugs that can classify as opioids such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, or Demerol, to name a few. The drugs originally are synthesized and derived from the opium poppy, Physicians will prescribe this medication as a painkiller, but many others turned to purer doses of these medications and started turning to more potent drugs like heroin or Percocet. The one thing that these brand name drugs have in common is that they contain opium, an extremely addictive narcotic drug. In many cases, many patients receiving pain killing medication from doctors become dependent on the drug, leading them to use it recreationally instead

Ouch! The dull, tingle of the pain has gradually escalated to a full on throttle that radiates pain in the lower back. When usually PM over the counter pills would easily make the pain disappear has been replaced by a small dosage of hydrocodone pill. Yet taking the opioid pill at nighttime can be easy for a good, restful sleep and just worry about the pain later the next day. A single dosage at night can be easily manage, for at least many people. A doctor’s advice and prescription to help chronic pain should be a patient’s responsibility, yet there are doctors who have been at fault for overdose deaths.

The United States currently faces an unprecedented epidemic of opioid addiction. This includes painkillers, heroin, and other drugs made from the same base chemical. In the couple of years, approximately one out of twenty Americans reported misuse or abuse of prescriptions painkillers. Heroin abuse and overdoses are on the rise and are the leading cause of injury deaths, surpassing car accidents and gun shots. The current problem differs from the opioid addiction outbreaks of the past in that it is also predominant in the middle and affluent classes. Ultimately, anyone can be fighting a battle with addiction and it is important for family members and loved ones to know the signs. The cause for this epidemic is that the current spike of opioid abuse can be traced to two decades of increased prescription rates for painkillers by well-meaning physicians.

The misuse of and dependence to opioid drugs such as the frequently prescribed oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and the illegal drug heroin is a worldwide crisis that impacts the societal well-being, health, and economy of nearly every population. The wake of the recently named epidemic can be felt by family members, health care professionals, communities, and policy makers around the world. Taking the lead in causes of accidental deaths in the United States, the fatalities resulting from opioid overdose have quadrupled since the early 2000’s. Research has indicated a causal link between prescription opioid abuse and increased rates of heroin usage

This study also discusses about Gender-specific aspects which should be taken into consideration to identify those group of people which are at highest risk specifically for abusing of prescription opioid. the best way to control this issue is Prevention and applying intervention efforts which will be the best cure Research shows that women represent a large and growing population of prescription opioid abusers (Cicero et al., 2008; SAMHSA, 2006 ;  Tetrault et al., 2008). Unlike for heroin, an equal or greater proportion of women appear to abuse prescription opioids (Kelly et al., 2008 ;  Simoni-Wastila et al., 2004). In some studies it shows the correlation etween abusing of the prescription medication and abusing of alcohol and the other type of drugs.

Other measures have been taken to ensure that the Opioid crisis is taken care of, such as "Drug-Control Advocates who began working to ban all non-medicinal narcotics use. "(Katel826). "After solving disputes with pharmaceuticals makers and druggists, Congress also passed the Harrison act of 1914, the first federal law to regulate Opioids and other drugs." (Katel826) With the many actions taken to try to put an end to this Opioid crisis, nothing seems to make any drastic change. All the bans, acts, other precautions constantly are needing to be reevaluated or changed to try to keep up with the Opioid problem. With an unstable solution, the crisis will always be

Opiates, otherwise known as prescription painkillers, have become an enormous problem in the United States. Addiction, overdoses, and death are only a few of the problems caused by opiates. Painkillers can be prescribed to help lessen chronic pain, pain from surgery, pain from serious accidents, or pain from terminal diseases. Opiates are highly addicting and have become highly abused in the United States in the past few years. Prescription painkillers need to be banned in the United States because of the dangers they bring to the patients to whom they are being prescribed. The FDA needs to become more involved in the awareness of how dangerous these drugs are and place a ban on them.

Opiates are one of the most commonly-abused prescription drugs. The number of prescriptions written for opiates doubled from 1991 to 2013. Researchers believe that the ease of