Prescription Drugs

Mrs. Cosens

oxycontinValium

vicodinXanax

Objectives• Understand the difference between the responsible

and irresponsible use of prescription drugs.• Distinguish among the three major classes of

commonly abused medications: opioid painkillers, central nervous system depressants and stimulant drugs

• Describe side effects and dangers of these medications

• Explain why using prescription stimulants as “performance enhancers” is misguided and dangerous

• Understand how addiction develops in stages and how tolerance, withdrawal and relapse relate to addiction

• Discuss the risks of obtaining medications from illegal rogue internet pharmacies

• Understand that sharing prescription drugs with others is hazardous as well as illegal

• Spot the warning signs of someone else’s prescription and OTC drug abuse

What are prescription drugs?

• Any medicine that is available only with a written prescription from a doctor is a prescription drug.

What is prescription drug abuse?

• Prescription drug abuse means taking a medication that was prescribed for someone else, or taking a medication for reasons other than the purpose the drug was intended for or intentionally taking a higher dose than recommended.

How dangerous is it?• Far from being a “safe” high,

prescription drugs can cause a number of adverse reactions, such as:– Vomiting– rapid heart rate– high blood pressure– depressed breathing– overdose and even death.

In the past 10 years, prescription drugs have been responsible for a soaring number of

accidental deaths.• In 2010, the CDC reported that fatalities from

prescription drug overdoses had become the 2nd leading cause of death in the country-second only to car crashes.

• According to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey, prescription drug abuse is on the rise.

• 1 if 5 teens reported using a prescription drug without a doctor’s orders.

Show the video entitled, “Prescription Drugs

Update”

It may be in your best interest to take notes…you will have a quiz at the end

of class you can use your notes for.

Three classes of Prescription Drugs…

• Opioids-which are most often prescribed to treat pain

• CNS Depressants- which usually are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders

• Stimulants- which are prescribed to treat the sleep disorder narcolepsy and ADHD

Prescription Drugs…Stimulants• How do they work?

– Increase alertness and attention by increasing brain activity, elevating blood pressure and increasing breathing and heart rate.

– People with ADHD experience increased focus because the medication “wakes” up the brain function that helps to screen out distractions in the environment.

• Side effects?– Hostile or paranoid

behavior– High body temperature– Heart problems and

seizures

• Addiction?– Yes– Withdrawal symptoms

associated with addiction are depression, tiredness and problems sleeping.

• Polypharmacy warnings?

– Should not be combined with over-the-counter decongestants, diet drugs, some antidepressants, asthma medication or other prescription stimulants.

Prescription Drugs…CNS Depressants

• How do they work?– Slow functioning and

decrease activity within the CNS, which includes the brain and spinal cord

• Side effects?– May feel and

uncoordinated. – Can cause dizziness,

cofusion and memory problems

• Addiction?– Yes.. .a tolerance

develops– Withdrawal symptoms

associated with addiction: the brain can experience severe “rebound” in terms of activity level, potentially leading to seizures and other serious consequences.

• Polypharmacy warnings?

– Should not be combined with any other medication or substances that cause CNS depression, including prescription pain medicines, some OTC cold and allergy medications and alcohol.

Prescription Drugs…Opioid Painkillers

• How do they work?– Attach to proteins called

opioid receptors found in the brain, spinal cord, and digestive tract, in order to block the perception of pain

• Side effects?– Drowsiness– Nausea– Constipation– Depressed breathing

• Addiction?– Yes…physical

dependence and addiction

– Withdrawal symptoms associated with addiction are restlessness, muscle and bone pain, trouble sleeping, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps and uncontrollable leg movements.

• Polypharmacy warnings?

– Should not be combined with substances that depress the CNS, such as alcohol, antihistamines (Benadryl), barbituates (Nembutal), and benzodiazepines (Xanax)

What is Oxycontin?

• A painkiller prescribed by doctors to treat cancer patients and those with chronic, long-lasting back pain.

• Gram for gram oxycontin is twice as potent as heroin.

• One oxycontin is four to thirty time stronger than one Percodan.

Street names/slang terms for Oxycontin

• Oxy• Poor Man’s Heroin• Hillbilly Heroin• OC• Oxycotton• Killer

How is Oxycontin used?

• Crush the tablet and ingest or snort it• Dilute it in water• Injection• Crushing or diluting the tablet destroys the

time-release mechanism and causes a quick, powerful high that users compare to heroin.

What are the effects of Oxycontin?

• Suppresses the respiratory system. When combined with alcohol or other depressants, it is often deadly.

• Taken in high doses alone can kill you.

• Very addictive, difficult to quit abusing.

• Abrupt withdrawal from the drug can cause death.

Legal Consequences of Prescription Drug Abuse

Drug Schedule

Examples of Drugs

First Offense Second Offense

II Vicodin, Oxycontin,

Ritalin

Up to 20 years in prison, or 20 years to life if death or

serious injury resulted from the trafficking. Fine

of up to $1 million

Up to 30 years in prison or life

sentence if death or serious injury

resulted from trafficking. Fine

of up to $2 million

IV XanaxValium

Up to 3 years in prison and fine of

up to $250,000

Up to 6 years in prison and fine of

up to $500,000

What is considered illegal?Possessing medications not prescribed to you by a doctor, selling or giving drugs that were prescribed to you to others, buying from an illegal internet pharmacy, storing medication outside of a labeled prescription bottle

Read the Article entitled, “Prescription Drugs, Their Use

and Abuse”

Answer the provided questions

Celebrities who have had problems with prescription drugs…

Paula Abdul DJ AM

Chevy Chase

Robert Downey

Jr.

Eminem

Michael Jackson

Brittany Murphy

Heath Ledger

What can you do?• If a friend or family member shows one or more of these signs, he

or she might have a problem with prescription drugs:– A compulsive need to take the drug– Changes in weight, mood or sleeping habits, unusual agitation or

irritability– Loss of interest in things that used to be important hiding or lying

about drug use– Missing school or work– Going to school or work while high– Seek prescriptions from more than one doctor

If you suspect an overdose, seek help immediately

• Signs of overdose are:– Agitation– Dilated pupils– Seizures– Unconsciousness– Extremely high (or low) body temperature or pulse– Rapid breathing or extremely slow breathing– Sleepiness– Mental confusion– Unconsciousness– Cool, clammy skin or hot, dry skin– Chest pain or shortness of breath– Abdominal pain or nausea– Vomiting or diarrhea

Prescription Drug Quiz