A prescription for pain.Most people who take prescription drugs do so in the form and dose prescribed, under a doctor's supervision. But some people take medicine for non-medical purposes. That's drug abuse, and it can have serious health consequences. Here's some Info on a few commonly abused prescription drugs. Once you've reviewed it, complete the true/false quiz based on the graph at right. * OxyContin Ox·y·con·tin A trademark for the drug oxycodone. oxycodone hydrochloride ETH-Oxydose, OxyContin, OxyFast, Oxy-IR, Oxynorm (UK), Roxicodone, Supeudol (CA) Pharmacologic class: Opioid agonist and Vicodin are painkillers. They belong to the same class of drugs as heroin--they're opioids. What do opioids do? They attach to specific parts of certain cells (called opioid receptors Opioid receptors Receptors located in the brain and various organs that bind opiates or opioid substances. Mentioned in: Methadone opioid receptors, n.pl any of the several receptors to which opiates bind. ) in the brain and spinal cord spinal cord, the part of the nervous system occupying the hollow interior (vertebral canal) of the series of vertebrae that form the spinal column, technically known as the vertebral column. where they block pain. When used for non-medical purposes, OxyContin and Vicodin can cause addiction and, depending on the dosage, slowing or stopping of breathing, and death. * Tranquilizers and barbiturates Barbiturates Definition Barbiturates are medicines that act on the central nervous system and cause drowsiness and can control seizures. Purpose are used to treat anxiety, panic attacks, and sleep disorders. They are depressants, which means they slow down brain activity. This produces a calming effect. When they're abused, they create the potential for addiction. In people who take these drugs chronically, an abrupt discontinuation of their use can cause seizures. * Methylphenidate methylphenidate /meth·yl·phen·i·date/ (meth?il-fen´i-dat) a central stimulant, used in the form of the hydrochloride salt in the treatment of attention-deficit in children and narcolepsy. , also known as Ritalin, is a stimulant used to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), formerly called hyperkinesis or minimal brain dysfunction, a chronic, neurologically based syndrome characterized by any or all of three types of behavior: hyperactivity, distractibility, and impulsivity. (ADHD Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Definition Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by distractibility, hyperactivity, impulsive behaviors, and the inability to remain focused on tasks or ). Stimulants increase brain activity and can lead to greater alertness and attention. If used inappropriately (not as medically prescribed), stimulants can cause dangerously high body temperatures, irregular heartbeat, seizures, and heart attacks. TRUE/FALSE QUIZ 1. The graph at right shows the difference between the percentage of 12th-graders who abuse prescription drugs and the percentage of 10th-graders who abuse prescription drugs. TRUE FALSE 2. Of all of the prescription drugs shown above, Vicodin has the greatest percentage of users. TRUE FALSE 3. More than five percent of 12th-graders surveyed in 2002 said they'd abused Ritalin in the past 30 days. TRUE FALSE 4. The difference between the percentage of sedative/barbiturate abusers and tranquilizer tranquilizer, drug whose action calms the central nervous system, decreasing emotional agitation without impairing alertness. Tranquilizing drugs differ from hypnotic drugs such as barbiturates in that they do not act on the brain's cortical areas but rather on its abusers is fewer than two percent. TRUE FALSE 5. OxyContin and Ritalin show the same percentage of abusers. TRUE FALSE The bar graph below shows the percent of 12th-graders who had abused different prescription drugs during a 30-day period in 2002. PAST 30-DAY ABUSE BY 12TH-GRADERS, 2002 OXYCONTIN 4 VICODIN 9.6 TRANQUILIZERS 7.7 SEDATIVES/BARBITURATES 6.7 RITALIN 4 SOURCE: MONITORING THE FUTURE, 2002 Note: Table made from bar graph. 1. F: 2. T; 3. F; 4. T; 5. T. |
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