According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, prescription drug abuse is the fastest growing drug problem in the U.S. The website Frontera noted the problem as a growing crisis, saying Americans who abuse prescription drugs outdo those using cocaine, heroin and meth combined.
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A new study reports that the use of opioid painkillers amongst former NFL players is on the rise. Financially, there is a lot riding on sporting events, and one injury can ruin a person’s career. Even in the midst of dealing with serious injuries, professional athletes are feeling the pressure to perform.
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Currently, the prescription medication naltrexone is commercially available for the treatment of alcohol dependence under the brand name Vivitrol by Alkermes since it gained approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006. After considering Alkermes’ supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA), submitted earlier this year, that showed extensive evidence of the alcohol-dependency treatment medication’s positive effects on opioid addiction, the FDA’s Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee has now recommended the commercial use of naltrexone for the treatment of opioid dependency. The opioid-blocking, extended-release injectable suspension may become the first non-addictive, non-narcotic drug agent available in a monthly prescription come October.
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Narcotic pain relievers provide relief and have important medical benefits. When they are used other than for their medical intent, they can have serious health consequences. They are often taken without medical supervision, in quantities other than prescribed and sometimes in combination with alcohol or other drugs.
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At the American Psychiatric Association 2010 Annual Meeting, a study was presented that found that people addicted to prescription opioids (such as Vicodin and OxyContin) are more prone to relapse after a shorter treatment course. The study, the largest treatment study ever conducted for prescription opioid dependence, specifically examined whether adding intense counseling to taking buprenorphine improves outcome, what the best duration of medication is best, and whether current chronic pain influences outcomes.
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It was established in 2008 that in the past year, approximately 282,000 people above the age of 12 were dependent on or abused heroin. Additionally, 1,716,000 people over the age of 12 were dependent on or abused pain relievers.
Glial cells (which are non-neuronal cells that make up the supportive tissue and participate in signal transmission in the nervous system) have recently been shown to help mediate the effects of opioid drugs such as morphine, including analgesia (pain suppression), tolerance, and dependence—effects that were previously thought to be controlled by neurons alone.
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Opioids and the long-acting oxycodone appears to be a popular choice in Ontario, Canada. According to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) and a release in Science Daily, deaths from opioids in Ontario have doubled since 1991 and the addition of oxycodone has resulted in a five-fold increase in oxycodone-related deaths.
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Tramadol is a synthetic opioid used to treat moderate to severe pain, and is available in both injectable and oral forms. It can produce euphoria in many users, and the high is similar to opioids like morphine and heroin, but not as intense. This can lead to physical and mental dependence and severe withdrawal symptoms. In addition, the possibility of convulsions at high doses makes recreational use of tramadol very dangerous.