West Virginia Found to Have Highest Rate of Prescription Drug Use

Several national studies have documented the growing surge of prescription drug abuse that has exploded in recent years. In a more precise regional study, the health care information company SDI Health LLC has found West Virginia to be home to the highest rate of prescription drug use in the United States. 

Study Identifies Characteristics of Prescription Drug Addiction

Unlike alcohol and drug addiction, it can be difficult to identify those who are addicted to prescription drugs. In an effort to make it easier for doctors and healthcare professionals to screen for prescription drug use disorder (PDUD) in patients with chronic pain, researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) conducted a study that appears in the Journal of Pain.

Six Myths about Prescriptions Drugs that Can Kill You

Can you imagine the world without antibiotics? It is not an exaggeration to say that the development of penicillin changed the course of history. Drugs and vaccines have made it possible to treat intractable diseases and even eradicate some of the most devastating diseases. Then there are pain medications. One of the earliest pharmaceutical grade pain medications was heroin, named that because it was considered almost heroic in its ability to control pain.

Fentanyl Lollipops Raising Concern

A narcotic painkiller in the shape of a lollipop designed to deliver quick relief to cancer patients is being sold on the street with the nickname “perc-a-pop.” The drug’s ease of use and sweet taste have law enforcement officials concerned about the potential for abuse.

Drug Addiction Higher Among Small-Town Residents in British Columbia

A recent University of British Columbia (UBC) study suggests that working-age residents in rural and small towns in British Columbia have a greater risk of addiction to prescription sedatives and opioid painkillers than people in more urban areas.

The Ubyssey’s Jim Boyle writes that the study, published by the Centre for Health Services and Policy Research, is the first to map small-area prescription drug use with as many variables, analyzed data from British Columbia’s sophisticated PharmaNet system to measure and compare prescription drug use across regional health areas, taking into account the age and health of patients taking the drugs.

Prescription Drug Abuse Outpaces Illegal Drug Abuse in Canada

Addiction to anything can be hazardous to your health as it helps to create an unnatural balance of a specific substance in the body or the brain. When the addiction extends to drugs or alcohol, the consequences can be devastating.

The Dangers of Dilaudid Abuse

Dilaudid is a hydromorphone painkiller used to treat moderate to severe pain, including dry, painful coughing. It is a derivative of morphine and is semi-synthetic, making it both an opiate and a narcotic. Many doctors prescribe Dilaudid as an alternative to morphine, and it is recreationally used as a substitute for heroin. It is thought to be 2-4 times stronger than morphine, but with a lower rate of addiction and fewer occurrences of vomiting, nausea, and histamine-related side effects. However, it is increasingly becoming abused, and is contributing to death rates among drug addicts.