Prescription Drug Abuse: MedlinePlus

Prescription Drug Abuse: MedlinePlus

Prescription Drug Abuse

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA  

• Barbiturate intoxication and overdose
• Opiate withdrawal
• Opioid intoxication
• Substance use -- prescription drugs

Related Health Topics

• Medicines

National Institutes of Health

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

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine  

• Improper Medication Use Rising Among Older Adults
• 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
• Understanding the Opioid Overdose Epidemic

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Summary

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 narcotic painkillers, 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

Start Here

• Opioids: The Prescription Drug & Heroin Overdose Epidemic (Department of Health and Human Services)
• Prescription and Over-the-Counter Medications  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish
• Prescription Drug Abuse (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Prescription Drugs and Cold Medicines  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Latest News

• Innovative Programs Help Addicts Get Off Opioids (12/21/2016, HealthDay)
• Drug Overdose Deaths Climb Dramatically in U.S. (12/20/2016, HealthDay)
• Opioid Overdoses Burden U.S. Hospitals: Report (12/15/2016, HealthDay)
• More News on Prescription Drug Abuse

Diagnosis and Tests

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

Prevention and Risk Factors

• How Can Prescription Drug Misuse Be Prevented?  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDFAlso in Spanish
• Facts about Naltrexone for Treatment of Opioid Addiction (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDFAlso in Spanish
• How Can Prescription Drug Addiction Be Treated?  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish
• 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 in Spanish
• What to Do If Your Teen or Young Adult Has a Problem with Drugs  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Related Issues

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

Specifics

• Anabolic Steroids: MedlinePlus Health Topic  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Benzodiazepines (Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
• CDC Vital Signs: Opioid Painkiller Prescribing (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
• CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses (Methadone) (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
• Narcotics (Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
• OxyContin (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
• Painkiller (Oxy, Vike) Facts   (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• Stimulant ADHD Medications -- Methylphenidate and Amphetamines  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish

Images

• Narcotics (Drug Enforcement Administration)

Statistics and Research

• 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) - PDF
• Although Relatively Few, "Doctor Shoppers" Skew Opioid Prescribing  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses (Opioids) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Emergency Department Visits Involving Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Stimulant Medications (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• 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
• Gene Variants Reduce Opioid Risks  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• 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) - PDF
• 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)
• Which Classes of Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Misused?  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Prescription drug abuse communication: A qualitative analysis of prescriber and...
• Article: Controlled Substance Lock-In Programs: Examining An Unintended Consequence Of A...
• Article: New Deviancy Theory and the Healthcare System's Role in Creating,...
• Prescription Drug Abuse -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
• Drug Enforcement Administration 
• Food and Drug Administration 
• National Institute on Drug Abuse Also in Spanish
• Partnership at Drugfree.org (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
• Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)

Teenagers

• Depressants (Nemours Foundation)
• 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)
• Prescription Drugs  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
• Preventing Misuse and Diversion of Medication (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry)
• Study Drugs (Nemours Foundation)
• What to Do If You Have a Problem with Drugs: For Teens and Young Adults  (National Institute on Drug Abuse)

Seniors

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

Patient Handouts

• Substance use -- prescription drugs (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish