Introduction
Drug misuse and abuse are increasingly widespread problems that lead to higher levels of morbidity and mortality in all groups of the population in the US. It is fascinating, how the same active ingredients contained in medicines that help treat severe illnesses can become dangerous if taken in the wrong doses or with other drugs. Healthcare practitioners should have a thorough understanding of how drugs can affect people’s lives. Many aspects determine how drug interactions may be leading to drug misuse, which means that clinicians should give comprehensive advice to patients regarding drug use practices. Just as important, intentional drug abuse that may cause drug addiction can be prevented if drugs are sold strictly by prescription. This research aims to determine the best ways to prescript drugs, the importance of drug interactions, and the potential dangers of drug abuse.
Literature Review
To come up with the findings presented below, extensive research was conducted. First, the Harvard Medical School Commentaries on Health were analyzed to gain a better understanding of what determines the drugs, why the drug categories matter, and how patients can cope with the growing arrays of information concerning the OTC drugs and their interaction (“What Makes Drug a Drug?”). Interestingly, the article provides important data on the functions and aims of drugs and widens the understanding of which types of medication can pose the greatest threat in terms of interaction effects. No less important, the article from The Gale Encyclopedia of Senior Health provides an insight into the dangers older people who use medications expose themselves to (“Drug Interaction”). The article notes that drug interactions can lead to a change in the excretion of certain drugs from the body, an increase or decrease in the effect.
Notably, older people usually abstain from drug abuse, but may be at higher risk for dangerous drug interactions. In an article from The Encyclopedia of Aging, it is noted that drug abuse among older people remains underestimated since many of them use alcohol, tobacco, barbiturates, and other opioid drugs for self-recreation (“Medication Misuse and Abuse”). Lynch presents a more extended discussion about the ways and types of interactions between drugs and other substances (1). This discussion also looks at the dangers of drug abuse by teenagers. Notably, the risks for adolescents differ from those for older adults and may be more related to the desire for social interaction. To expand further on the dangers of drug abuse among adolescents and adults, the researcher studied Robinsons’ article presenting 11 types of prescription and OTC drugs most widely used by addicts. These drugs include barbiturates, benzodiazepines, sleep medicines, codeine and morphine, OxyContin and Percocet, Vicodin, Lortab and Lorcet, amphetamines, methylphenidate, dextromethorphan, and pseudoephedrine.
Remarkably, the detailed descriptions and photos of drugs present comprehensive information that can later be used by doctors when consulting parents of teenagers or potential addicts. Then, in the article from the Mayo Clinic website, the most widespread symptoms of drug abuse are discussed. The clinicians should know these symptoms, since this is helpful when consulting the patients and prescribing drugs, and allows for avoiding helping addicts. No less importantly, Schepis et al. discuss how drug abuse may lead to a reduction in life expectancy in different age groups, including an analysis of suicidal tendencies caused by drug-related depression. Notably, most experts agree that drug misuse and abuse are dangerous, happen in all age categories, and should be addressed by the healthcare practitioners who are responsible for increasing patients’ understanding of the related risks. Some articles are focused on older populations, while others discuss the drug problems of adults and adolescents.
Significance
The research regarding drug misuse and abuse is important as it considers the causes and consequences of drug use, which can be useful for doctors and nurses whose job is to prescribe drugs to different patient groups. The research emphasized particular dangers for older and younger groups regarding using drugs. The previous research lacks clear and concise recommendations on how healthcare practitioners should prescribe the drugs. Therefore, this research provides more details on the issue, supporting the previous research with recommendations. The research also joins the discussion concerning the dangers of drug abuse and misuse.
Research Method
Two research methods used in this study are literature review and interview. For the interview, the researchers communicated with pharmacist Shan C., who has more than three-years-experience in pharmacy and can be seen as an expert in the topic discussed. The following questions were asked during the interview: “What do you think is the most common misconception about taking drugs? Why?”, “Why is important to know side effects and drug interactions?”, “If you had the chance to change something about drug abuse. What would it be?”, and “Do you think prescription drugs should be free for all?” The answers to the questions helped the researcher gain a better understanding of the research question regarding why a thorough attitude towards prescribing drugs is so important.
Research Analysis and Discussion
First, it was important to find out what determines the drug and to understand which aspects of interaction should be considered during the prescription. The drugs are determined as “devices intended for use in the diagnosis, treatment, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease,” and “objects (other than food) intended to affect a structure or any function of the human or other animal body” (“What Makes a Drug-Drug?” para. 3). Therefore, prescription drugs, OTC drugs, cosmetics, and dietary supplements should all be seen as drugs with the potential for interaction. Ms. Shan notes that “it is important to know side effects and interactions because, for example, an interaction with Oxycodone and Opioid drugs will be causing higher levels in the body, leading to respiratory suppression, difficulty breathing, drowsiness, and more.” As a pharmacist, Ms. Shan advises such patients not to drive and to share information about their drug intake with all their doctors. In other words, a better understanding of drug interactions leads to more thorough prescription advice.
There are several types of drug interactions, including interactions between OTC products and prescription drugs. Common interactions are defined as duplication, opposition, and drug alteration (Lynch). Interestingly, Robinson notes a particular danger of the OTC Pseudoephedrine pills, which are designed to reduce cough symptoms but can react with heavier drugs containing methamphetamine. As a result, these cough medicines are available in many pharmacies by prescription only. Ms. Shan notes that interactions between OTC and prescription drugs could be avoided, if the clinics accepted the shared “computer system in the entire United States for all healthcare facilities such as hospitals, pharmacies,” to “monitor patients’ prescription activity, especially for controlled substances, and improve drug abuse.” Therefore, the provision of advice by pharmacists regarding drug interactions can be facilitated using IT tools.
Drug abuse may cause severe symptoms of addiction that often lead to patients’ death. Mayo Clinic experts name some of the symptoms of opioid abuse that include “constipation, nausea, euphoria, slowed breathing rate, drowsiness, poor coordination, problems with memory and concentration” (“Prescription Drug Abuse” para. 8). At the same time, symptoms of stimulant abuse may include high blood pressure, and irregular heartbeat; drug abuse with hard drugs can lead to coma and death. Ms. Shan says that she does not believe that “prescription drugs should be free because they could cause a higher chance of drug abuse”. Notably, clinicians who sell and prescribe drugs should be very careful when a patient asks for a repeat prescription, or terminates a course of strong pain medication early, and pay attention to whether such patients have symptoms of dependence. Timely intervention by doctors can save the lives of patients, or avoid serious health consequences.
Limitations of the Research
Limitations of the study include the inability to put into practice some experimental recommendations in advance. At the same time, new research could expand the intervention or focus of clinicians who prescribe drugs to patients. Analysis of the responses of dependent patients may have great potential for further research, as the processes of drug abuse remain poorly understood. Therefore, the researcher recommends conducting follow-up surveys of the broader populations that are at risk.
Conclusion
Thus, the best ways to prescript drugs, the importance of drug interactions, and the potential dangers of drug abuse were discussed and the related recommendations were provided. A better understanding of drug interactions leads to better advice to help patients avoid drug misuse and drug use misconceptions. The use of IT solutions for prescriptions can be a very handy tool for pharmacists to help reduce the levels of drug abuse and misuse among patients. Finally, clinicians should pay attention to the symptoms of drug abuse, since addiction can lead to severe health consequences and death.
Works Cited
“Commonly Abused Prescription and OTC Drugs.” WebMD, 2021, Web.
“Drug Interactions.” The Gale Encyclopedia of Senior Health, 2022, Web.
Lynch, Shalini S. “Drug Interactions.” Merck Manual, Web.
“Medication Misuse and Abuse.” The Encyclopedia of Aging, 2022, Web.
“Prescription Drug Abuse.” Mayo Clinic, 2022, Web.
Schepis, Ty S., et al. “Prescription Drug Misuse: Taking a Lifespan Perspective.” Substance Abuse: Research and Treatment, vol. 14, no. 1, 2020, pp. 1-12.
“What Makes a Drug a Drug?” Harvard Medical School Commentaries on Health, 2022, Web.