XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
  Anti-Inflammatory
  Antivirals
  Antihypertensives
  Anticholesterol
  Anti-Clotting Drugs
  Anti Cancer Drugs
  Hypnotics
  PPI
  Antibiotics
  Analgesics
   Pain Control
  Surfactants
  Fatty Acids
  Adrenergics
  Metals
  Varenicline
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

Pain Control Channel
subscribe to Pain Control newsletter

Latest Research : Pharmacology : Analgesics : Pain Control

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Prescription pain medication abuse on rise
Oct 17, 2006 - 2:16:00 AM, Reviewed by: Dr. Rashmi Yadav

�Individual states with high levels of PPM abuse may not recognize the problem. The prevailing assumption that only those states with high levels of traditional illicit drug abuse should be vigilant is clearly misleading.�

 
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center found prescription pain medication (PPM) abuse is a rapidly growing problem with surprising and often unpredictable distribution patterns. The research was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Anesthesiologists in Chicago, October 13, 2006.

Mario Moric, PhD, a researcher in the department of Anesthesiology at Rush, and colleagues used survey data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2002-04 to estimate the prevalence of drug abuse across the United States for various illicit and prescription substances.

Moric found that PPM abuse did not follow traditional patterns. �Individual states with high levels of PPM abuse may not recognize the problem. The prevailing assumption that only those states with high levels of traditional illicit drug abuse should be vigilant is clearly misleading.�

The researchers found distribution of PPM abuse across the United States varied greatly and differed from other seemingly similar drug abuse trends. PPM distribution differed substantially from inhalants, heroin and sedatives, was somewhat similar to cocaine and stimulants and was closely related to distribution of tranquilizers.

Furthermore, the researchers found that states with large metropolitan areas (New York, Illinois, Texas and California) did not have a high distribution of abuse, despite the common view that drug abuse is associated with the fast-paced lifestyle of city dwellers.

�Distribution of PPM abuse across the states differs from high-profile street drugs and even particular PPMs such as oxycodone, which has its own specific pattern,� Moric said. �It is for this reason that PPM abuse must be monitored separately from other illicit substances, and the most commonly abused or most problematic PPMs should be monitored individually.�

Oxycodone, in particular, was singled out by Moric�s group because of its highly addictive nature and specific distribution pattern, which differed from many other PPMs and illicit drugs. Similar to heroin in both its effect on the body and addictive nature, oxycodone is often crushed or mixed with other drugs and used for its heroin-like �rush.� Moric warned that the key to understanding and identifying abuse requires a more sophisticated understanding than that abusers simply want to �feel good.�

�As users become addicts, they undergo a fundamental neurobiological change,� Moric said. �Processes such as learning, memory, perception, arousal and motivation all drastically change, and to classify abuse purely as �pleasure seeking� is a gross oversimplification.�

The surprising results from the study should offer something of a wake-up call to physicians and other health care workers everywhere in the country. �Clinicians need to be aware of the level of abuse in their area and moderate their vigilance accordingly,� Moric said.

If PPM abuse is identified in a particular area, a multifaceted response should be implemented, he said. �Drug abuse prevention, outreach and information dissemination programs by federal, state and nonprofit agencies should be notified so that public awareness can be heightened and action be taken to reduce the problem.�

According to Moric, anesthesiologists who practice pain medicine play a particularly crucial role in combating PPM abuse. �We feel that the most important function of anesthesiologists with respect to PPM abuse is in education. Anesthesiologists are the most relevant spokespersons for both the benefits of PPMs and the potential abuses,� Moric said.
 

- The research was presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Anesthesiologists in Chicago, October 13, 2006.
 

http://www.rush.edu/

 
Subscribe to Pain Control Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 



Related Pain Control News

Prescription pain medication abuse on rise
Cancer patients benefit from art therapy


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us