Table of Contents
What are four common signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse?
Signs and symptoms of recent use can include:
- Feeling of exhilaration and excess confidence.
- Increased alertness.
- Increased energy and restlessness.
- Behavior changes or aggression.
- Rapid or rambling speech.
- Dilated pupils.
- Confusion, delusions and hallucinations.
- Irritability, anxiety or paranoia.
How can you tell if someone has a prescription drug problem?
Mood changes, including excessive swings from elation to hostility. Changes in sleep patterns. Borrowing medication from other people or “losing” medications so that more prescriptions must be written. Seeking the same prescription from multiple doctors, in order to have a “backup” supply.
What is medicine abuse?
What is medicine abuse? It’s the use of a medication—prescription (Rx) or over-the-counter (OTC)—in a way not intended by a healthcare provider. Medicine abuse includes everything from taking a friend’s prescription painkiller for your backache to ingesting pills to get “high.”
What are some examples of prescription drugs?
The most commonly used prescription drugs fall into three classes:
- Opioids. Examples: oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol)
- Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants. Examples: phenobarbital (Luminal), diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax)
- Stimulants.
What is the most common drug prescribed?
The 10 Most-Prescribed and Top-Selling Medications
- Advair Diskus (fluticasone), 13.7 million.
- Lantus Solostar (insulin glargine), 10.9 million.
- Vyvanse (lisdexamfetamine), 10.4 million.
- Lyrica (pregabalin), 10.0 million.
- Spiriva Handihaler (tiotropium), 9.6 million.
- Januvia (sitagliptin), 9.1 million.
What is the number one prescription drug?
The Top 300 Drugs of 2019
| Rank | Drug Name | Total Prescriptions (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atorvastatin | 112,104,359 |
| 2 | Levothyroxine | 102,595,103 |
| 3 | Lisinopril | 91,862,708 |
| 4 | Metformin | 85,739,443 |
What are the 10 most common medicines and drugs?
The Top 10 Prescription Drugs
- Atorvastatin. Atorvastatin treats high cholesterol.
- Levothyroxine. Levothyroxine treats hypothyroidism.
- Lisinopril. Lisinopril is an ACE (angiotensin-converting enzyme) inhibitor.
- Metformin. There are more than 34 million Americans with diabetes.
- Amlodipine.
- Metoprolol.
- Albuterol.
- Omeprazole.
Do you know someone who is abusing prescription drugs?
While these medications should always be taken only by the person they are prescribed to and at the dosage prescribed, that doesn’t always happen. It isn’t generally someone’s intent to abuse their prescription drugs. However, it does happen. Do you know someone who is abusing prescription drugs?
What is the definition of prescription drug abuse?
Prescription drug abuse is the use of a prescription medication in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor. Prescription drug abuse or problematic use includes everything from taking a friend’s prescription painkiller for your backache to snorting or injecting ground-up pills to get high.
What are the risk factors for prescription drug abuse?
Risk factors for prescription drug abuse include: Past or present addictions to other substances, including alcohol and tobacco Family history of substance abuse problems Certain pre-existing psychiatric conditions Exposure to peer pressure or a social environment where there’s drug use
How does prescription drug abuse affect your body?
Prescription drug abuse, like most other types of abuse, will also typically have a profound effect on the user’s hygiene, grooming, and general physical appearance. They may go from showering every day to bathing every few days.