This presentation was presented at Pokhara University, as a part of syllabus in Bachelor in Pharmaceutical Science program.

1. Prescription Drug Misuse and Its
Management
Manoj Sharma
Third Semester, B Pharm
School of Health and Allied Sciences
Pokhara University
Dhungepatan, Pokhara Lekhnath-30, Kaski, Nepal

2. Overview
• Introduction
• Common Types of Drugs Misused
• Potential Reasons for Misuse
• Warning Signs of Drug Misuse
• Misuse Management
• Conclusion
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3. Introduction
 Prescription (Rx) drug misuse is defined as taking drugs without
a prescription and taking drugs for something other than its
intended purpose.
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 While most of people take prescription
medications for the reasons for which
the medications were prescribed, there
had been an increasing trend in non
therapeutic use of pharmaceuticals.
( greatoaksrecovery.com )
February 2, 2020

4.  Every 19 minutes someone dies from
the misuse of prescription drugs.
 Every year more people die from
prescription drug overdose than in car
accidents.
 Prescription drug misuse is highest
amongst young adults aged 18 to 25.
(NIDA,2014)
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Some Facts

5. Common Type of Drugs Misused
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• Opioids
• CNS Depressants
• Stimulants
( http://getsmartdfc.com )
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6. Pharmacetical Seminar 2 6
• Opioids
 Medically useful for:
 Treating moderate-to-severe pain, such as after surgery
or dental procedures.
 People abuse opioid painkillers to:
 Feel pleasure or sensations of well-being
 Opioid Medications Commonly Misused:
 Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone),
Codeine
February 2, 2020
(https://arstechnica.com)

7. • CNS Depressants
 Medically useful for/as:
 Sedatives, sedative-hypnotics, and tranquilizers (affect brain systems
to produce a drowsy or calming effect, sometimes to the point of
inducing sleep).
 Treating anxiety, severe stress, panic attacks, and insomnia in the
short-term, as well as some types of seizure disorders and muscle
spasms.
 People abuse depressants to:
 Feel calm and sleepy with less tension, anxiety, or panic — these are
feelings that go away as the body becomes drug-tolerant.
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8.  Depressant Medications Commonly Misused :
 Benzodiazepines: Valium (diazepam), Xanax
(alprazolam)
 Non-Benzodiazepine Sedatives: Ambien (zolpidem)
 Barbiturates: Mebaral (mephobarbital), Nembutal
(pentobarbital)
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(http://pillsdirectory.com)

9. • Stimulants
 Medically useful for/as:
 Stimulants increase the amounts of circulating brain chemicals
that raise blood pressure and heart rate, speed up breathing,
decrease appetite.
 Treating attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD),
narcolepsy; short-term treatment of obesity
 People abuse stimulants to:
 Feel especially alert, focused, and full of energy; to help them to
manage stressful schoolwork; or to suppress appetite in order to
lose weight.
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10.  Stimulant Medications Commonly Misused:
 Ritalin, Adderall (mixed amphetamine salts)
Focalin (dexmethylphenidate)
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(Photo by NIDA)

11. Potential Reasons for Misuse
 Prescription drugs are safer than illegal or street drugs because
prescription drugs are produced by pharmaceutical companies.
 Unlike illegal drugs and substances, it is easier and cheaper to get
prescription drugs.
 Many prescription drug users believe that they are less likely to be
caught by law enforcement authorities when carrying legitimate-
looking medications.
 Some individuals who misuse prescription drugs have developed
addiction from taking prescribed drugs for medical purposes.
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12. Warning Signs for Drug Misuse
 Rapid mood changes, such as negative attitude,
altered personality,
 Extreme changes in groups of peers/friends,
 Lying, and avoiding eye contact,
 Increased craving for food, rapid changes in
appetite,
 Uncommonly poor performance, such as in
school or at work,
 Behaving angrily or abusive, reckless behavior.
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(https://www.altamirarecovery.com)

13. Management
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 Management of Rx drug misuse must start with community
education, interventions specific to the non-medical use of
prescription drugs to address the complexity of this ever increasing
problem.
 Prevention programs that seek to minimize use among children and
young people, and which deters the young adult population, with a
special focus on the college population on the use of prescription
drugs for mood enhancers and recreations.
 Best practice training protocols for health-care workers are needed
to be able to identify predictors of risk and protective factors for the
nonmedical use of prescription (UNODC, 2011)

14.  Specific interventions targeting parents should be developed. These
might include:
o promoting simple safety measures about how to store
prescription drugs safely,
o raising awareness about the dangers of providing their children
with prescription drugs that have not been prescribed for them,
o monitoring their child’s use of prescription drugs for medical or
non- medical purposes.
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15. Conclusion
Prescription drug misuse is increasing day by day, leading to almost
epidemic levels of misuse and abuse. Youth who misuse prescription
medications are also more likely to report use of other drugs. The
consequences of these have been seen in increasing number of death.
Although the trend is increasing, there are some measures we can take to
prevent this epidemic. Educating teens and young adults about dangers
and consequences of misuse and abuse of prescription drugs can prevent
them from taking part in this dangerous trend. Families, schools, and
communities can come together to ensure that young adults are
educated to help them make decisions about proper pharmaceutical
consumption.
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16. References
• Gutstein H, Akil H (2006) Goodman & Gilman’s the Pharmacological Basis of
Therapeutics (11th Ed.) McGraw-Hill., New York, pp547-590.
• O’Brien CP. (2010) Goodman & Gilman’s the Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics
(11th Ed.) McGraw-Hill., New York, pp607-627.
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-preventing-drug-
misuse-deaths/health-matters-preventing-drug-misuse-deaths (Accessed on
January 19, 2019)
• http://getsmartdfc.com/what-is-prescription-drug-misuse/ (Accessed on January
19, 2019)
• https://txssc.txstate.edu/topics/drugs/articles/prescription-drug-misuse (Accessed
on January 19, 2019)
• https://teens.drugabuse.gov/drug-facts/prescription-drugs (Accessed on January
20, 2019)
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17. Thank You
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