Prescription Drug Abuse: MedlinePlus

Prescription Drug Abuse: MedlinePlus





A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
National Institutes of Health

If you take a medicine in a way that is different from what the doctor prescribed, it is called prescription drug abuse. It could be

• Taking a medicine that was prescribed for someone else
• Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to
• Taking the medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. This might be crushing tablets and then snorting or injecting them.
• Using the medicine for another purpose, such as getting high

Abusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. These include narcoticpainkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.

Every medicine has some risk of side effects. Doctors take this into account when prescribing medicines. People who abuse these drugs may not understand the risks. The medicines may not be safe for them, especially at higher doses or when taken with other medicines.

NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Barbiturate intoxication and overdose
• Opiate withdrawal
• Opioid intoxication

Related Topics

• Medicines
• Substance Abuse Problems

National Institutes of Health

• The primary NIH organization for research on Prescription Drug Abuseis the National Institute on Drug Abuse

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine  

• Pioneering Legacy of Betty Ford
• Prescription Drug Abuse: A Fast-Growing Problem
• Prescription Pain Medicines--An Addictive Path?
• Scientific Research Has Revolutionized Our Understanding of Drug Abuse and Addiction

 Disclaimers 

• MedlinePlus links to health information from the National Institutes of Health and other federal government agencies. MedlinePlus also links to health information from non-government Web sites. See ourdisclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

• Start Here

  • Commonly Abused Prescription Drug Abuse Chart(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Also available in Spanish

• Overviews

  • Prescription Drug Abuse(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
  • Prescription Drugs and Cold Medicines(National Institute on Drug Abuse)

• Latest News

  • U.S. Doctors Cutting Back on Painkiller Prescriptions(12/08/2014, HealthDay)
  • Painkiller Abuse More Likely for Those Who Skip College: Study(12/05/2014, HealthDay)
  • Fatal ODs from Narcotic Painkillers Have Tripled in U.S.(12/02/2014, HealthDay)
  • More News on Prescription Drug Abuse

• Diagnosis/Symptoms

  • Signs of Painkiller Abuse and Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse)

• Treatment

  • Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Facts about Naltrexone for Treatment of Opioid Addiction(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction: Facts for Families and Friends(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Seeking Drug Abuse Treatment: Know What to Ask(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Treating Prescription Drug Addiction(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Prevention/Screening

  • Preventing and Recognizing Prescription Drug Abuse(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Specific Conditions

  • Benzodiazepines(Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
  • CDC Vital Signs: Opioid Painkiller Prescribing(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Depressants(Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
  • Fentanyl(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Hydrocodone(Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
  • Hydromorphone(Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
  • JAMA Patient Page: Misuse of Opioid Medication(American Medical Association) -PDF
  • Also available in Spanish
  • MedlinePlus: Anabolic Steroids(National Library of Medicine)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Narcotics(Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
  • OxyContin(Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
  • Painkiller (Oxy, Vike) Facts(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Stimulant ADHD Medications -- Methylphenidate and Amphetamines(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Also available in Spanish
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• Related Issues

  • Combating Misuse and Abuse of Prescription Drugs(Food and Drug Administration)
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• Pictures & Photographs

  • Narcotics(Drug Enforcement Administration)
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• Research

  • Although Relatively Few, "Doctor Shoppers" Skew Opioid Prescribing(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Gene Variants Reduce Opioid Risks(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Prescription Drug Abuse(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
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• Journal Articles

  References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
  • Article: The role of the APRN in addressing prescription drug abuse...
  • Article: Prescription drug abuse, a "painful" problem.
  • Article: Prescription Drug Abuse: A National Survey of Primary Care Physicians.
  • Prescription Drug Abuse -- see more articles
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• Directories

  • Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
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• Organizations

  • Drug Enforcement Administration
  • Food and Drug Administration
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Partnership at Drugfree.org(Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
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• Statistics

  • Abuse of Prescription (Rx) Drugs Affects Young Adults Most(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Abuse of Prescription Pain Medications Risks Heroin Use(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses in the US(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
  • Emergency Department Visits Involving Nonmedical Use of Central Nervous System Stimulants among Adults Aged 18 to 34 Increased between 2005 and 2011(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Nonmedical Use of Prescription Pain Relievers May Raise the Risk of Turning to Heroin Use(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
  • Popping Pills: Prescription Drug Abuse in America(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • State Estimates of Nonmedical Use of Prescription Pain Relievers(Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
  • Teens Mix Prescription Opioids with Other Substances(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Trends in Prescription Drug Abuse(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • What Are Some Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs?(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
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• Teenagers

  • How Can I End a Prescription Drug Habit Safely?(Nemours Foundation)
  • Misuse of Prescription Pain Relievers: The Buzz Takes Your Breath Away. Permanently.(Food and Drug Administration)
  • Prescription Drug Abuse(Nemours Foundation)
  • Also available in Spanish
  • Prescription Drugs(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
  • Preventing Misuse and Diversion of Medication(American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
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• Seniors

  • Improper Use of Medications(National Institute on Drug Abuse)
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