fact
sheet on over-the-counter (otc) and prescription medicine misuse
Prepared
by:
Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Group, Medical Research Council
Supported
by UNDCP Global Assessment Programme (GAP) on Drug Abuse
Commonly
misused otc and presciption medicines
- Benzodiazepines
and analgesics are two of the most widely misused classes
of licit medicines.
- Benzodiazepines
are sedative-hypnotics that act as central nervous system
(CNS) depressants.
- When
used appropriately, they are effective in treating a range
of medical conditions, including anxiety disorders, insomnia,
convulsive disorders, and involuntary movement disorders.
- Benzodiazepines
are only available through prescription.
- Prescription
and OTC analgesics are effective in the treatment and management
of both short-and long-term pain.
- Analgesics
can be broadly grouped into two categories: opioid analgesics
(e.g. codeine and morphine) and non-narcotic analgesics that
include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Effects
of misuse
- Benzodiazepine
misuse may result in transient side effects, including psychomotor
retardation, cognitive dysfunction, disinhibition, and emotional
blunting.
- The misuse
of benzodiazepines together with other CNS depressants (e.g.
alcohol and heroin) places the user at risk for overdose and
death.
- A long-term
consequence of benzodiazepine misuse is psychological and
physical dependence, with a distinctive benzodiazepine withdrawal
syndrome occurring on cessation of use.
- Analgesic
misuse is associated with numerous negative health outcomes.
- Opioid
analgesics act as CNS depressants. Large doses may result
in respiratory suppression, seizures, coma, and potentially
death.
- A long-term
health outcome of opioid analgesic misuse is psychological
and physiological dependence.
- The chronic
misuse of non-narcotic analgesics is associated with headaches,
gastro-intestinal problems such as ulcers, analgesic nephropathy
including renal failure and renal cancers, and atherogenesis.
For
current statistics visit our SACENDU
site.
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