Consequences of Misuse
People perceive prescription medications as safe because they are legal, prescribed by physicians, and widely present in homes. They do not recognize the risks associated with improper use. Nor are they aware of the levels of abuse and misuse among certain groups. These misconceptions are widespread and are held not only by teens and young people, but also by parents, law enforcement officers, and the public in general.
For 2006, the Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN) estimates that 741,425 Emergency Department (ED) visits involved nonmedical use of prescription or OTC pharmaceuticals or dietary supplements. ED visits related to nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals increased 38% in the period from 2004 to 2006. Among the drugs most frequently implicated in nonmedical use, notable changes from 2004 to 2006 occurred for psychotherapeutic agents (31%) and CNS agents (32%). Within these two categories, visits involving benzodiazepines increased 36%, and visits involving opiate/opioid analgesics increased 43%. Among the opiates/opioids, visits involving hydrocodone/combinations increased 44%, and visits involving oxycodone/combinations increased 56%.
“Although the exact figure of prescription drug abuse is unknown in the U.S., it has been reported that more than 50 percent of all emergency room visits for drug-related problems are connected to prescription drug misuse or accidental overdose. It has also been estimated that in some communities, more than 60 percent of medical examiner cases are related to prescription drugs…” --NIDA
Go to The Drug Abuse Warning Network, 2006: National Estimates of Drug-Related Emergency Visits for more information regarding emergency room visits and prescription drug misuse data.
Prescription drug misuse or over-the-counter (OTC) cough/cold medicine abuse can lead to a variety of short- and long-term consequences. In addition, the combined effects of PDM and other medications or alcohol can prove to be very harmful or even fatal. Parents, friends, administrators, employers, and teachers can recognize signs of prescription drug abuse by looking for symptoms and side effects based on the type of drug that is being abused.