TOPIC: DRUG USE: ABUSE, ADDICTION, ITS EFFECTS AND CONTROL
Good day sport fans! Its another week of health talk, and we have a very important, sought after, and educative topic.
Once again like the norm, renowned practitioners of the field put up a beautiful session on Tuesday. 'DRUG USE: ABUSE, ADDICTION, ITS EFFECTS AND CONTROL' was the topic for this week's session. Pharmacist Mrs Chinwe Nancy was the speaker.
So please, I plead you all to sit back, read through and key into it.
I will also try and use simple language for our assimilation.
Pardon me if you see much medical terms.
Here are excerpts from the Health/Safety Session on Tuesday 28th August, 2018.
Drug Abuse
Drug abuse isn't just about street drugs. Besides marijuana, legal medicines are the most commonly abused drugs. Over-the-counter and prescription drugs can help and heal us. But some can be addictive and dangerous if they are used the wrong way.
A drug is defined, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, as a pharmacological substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease. Drugs are natural or synthetic chemicals capable of altering or modifying the functioning of the body system for therapeutic purposes.
Note the words....
POM - Prescription Only Medicines (must be prescribed by the doctor)
OTC - Over The Counter (can be purchased on your own without prescription)
Prescription drugs fall into several categories:
Antibiotics (used in the treatment of various infections)
Analgesics (otherwise known as pain relievers)
Sedatives (used in treating insomnia i.e lack of sleep)
Anti-hypertensives (for blood pressure lowering among others)
More still, some pharmacologic agents are also classified as hard drugs. These are generally defined as substances with a high potential for abuse, severe addiction or death. It is important to note that they may be legal or illegal depending on the circumstances surrounding their use. A few common examples include cocaine, heroin, marijuana (cannabis) and a host of others.
Now that we have known what drug is, let us discuss drug abuse;
Drug abuse or misuse simply refers to the consumption of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal or prescription drugs. Obviously, it then follows that both prescription drugs (to be prescribed by the doctor) and non-prescription drugs (can be procured over the counter) may be abused or misused. Misuse of prescription drugs can be in the form of taking overdose or underdose of the prescribed medications, both of which may have dire consequences. Arguably, drug abuse is fraught with several potential adverse effects. In this lecture, I intend to focus on some of the prescription drugs commonly abused by Nigerians and their potential adverse effects.
1. Paracetamol
This drug is definitely a household name. It comes in different popular brand names such as Panadol, Emzor and M&B. PCM is widely used for the treatment of fever, headache as well as mild to moderate body aches. Although it is relatively safe especially when compared with most other pain killers, it is not without adverse effects mostly when consumed in excess. The most dreaded adverse effect is (liver damage) and this may occur after the maximum recommended dose of 4g (8 tablets) is exceeded per day. The incidence of liver damage is much higher among alcoholics. Some other adverse effects include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and rashes. In view of these, patients are usually advised to consult the doctor if symptoms persist despite taking paracetamol.
I'm sure you will be surprised to see that illegal intake of ordinary paracetamol is drug abuse.
Let's move on. More to shock you!
Drug abusers are not just those who take cocaine etc. If you take 3 tablets of Paracetamol 500mg instead of 2, you have abused it.
To the alcoholics; too much intake of PCM enhances your chances of having liver problems.
2. Aspirin
Aspirin belongs to the group of drugs called Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) which are often employed in the treatment of severe headaches (migraine), menstrual pain and arthritis. Popular brands include Alabukun and Phensic. Other NSAIDs include ibuprofen, diclofenac, piroxicam (felvin) etc. The most common adverse effect of aspirin and other NSAIDs is peptic ulceration which is the reason why they should be avoided or used with caution by individuals with peptic ulcer. Aspirin is contraindicated in children less than 16 years, as it can lead to liver damage.
3. Codeine
Codeine is an opioid analgesic also used in the management of pain and diarrhoea. Like other opioids, it is widely abused because of its potential to produce euphoria (high mood) when consumed in large quantities. Hence, codeine abusers consume large quantities of codeine-containing cough syrups which ultimately leads to adverse effects like dependence, tolerance, sedation and euphoria. Other adverse effects may include constipation following prolonged use, dizziness, vomiting, headaches and dry mouth just to mention a few. Some other opioid analgesics which are also sometimes abused include morphine, pentazocine (fortwin) and Tramadol. Also, they tend to cause respiratory depression in large doses.
Now, that name many of you want to hear - Codeine and Tramadol! They are prescription medicines.
I'm sure many of us don't know that the main indication of codeine is for pain. It's an opioid, and commonly added to cough syrups for treatment of coughs that comes with chesty pains.
Is anyone surprised? Note down some key points because I will ask questions at the end.
4. Antibiotics
Antibiotics such as tetracycline, metronidazole (flagyl) and ciprofloxacin (ciprotab) are equally victims of widespread abuse. For instance, ciprofloxacin is used in the treatment of cholera, dysentery, typhoid, sexually transmitted infections, skin infections as well as urinary tract infections. Adverse effects include: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness and rashes among others. Similarly, tetracycline can cause tooth discoloration when taken by children under 8 years or pregnant women in the third trimester as well as breastfeeding mothers. Flagyl has been linked with adverse effects like loss of appetite, diarrhoea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, seizures, tremors and slurred speech.
5. Sedatives/Hypnotics
These refer to drugs commonly used in the treatment of sleep and anxiety disorders. Some of the common examples are diazepam (valium), bromazepam (lexotan) and lorazepam. Unfortunately, a lot of people with sleep difficulties have become dependent on sleeping pills such that they can hardly sleep without them. However, prolonged use of these medications is not without adverse effects such as respiratory depression, confusion, tolerance, dependence, visual disturbances, reduced libido (sexual drive) and headache. Therefore, it is better to identify and treat the underlying cause of insomnia rather than take permanently to sleeping pills which may eventually become ineffective after some time.
Too much intake of antibiotics and sedatives is wrong, especially without doctor's advice. Please, stop taking sleeping pills on your own advice. These drugs have effects as well and I'm sure you have read them above.
If you can't sleep. Meet your doctor. If you have an infection or so, seek medical prescription before buying any drug. You might wrongly use it for the wrong case or indication.
Drug Abuse: What to Do
Worried that someone you love might be abusing drugs? The best thing to do is ask directly. Keep an eye out for signs of abuse, like behavioral changes or missing medicines.
Many kids assume that common household drugs or even prescription medicines are safer than street drugs because they're legal. Explain the risks. Head off problems -- and clean out your medicine cabinet. Get rid of the drugs you don't need, and keep track of the ones you do. Buy your drugs at registered pharmaceutical outlets.
Now to the next point:
Drug Addiction
What Is Drug Addiction?
Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and behavior. When you’re addicted to drugs, you can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm the drugs may cause. Drug addiction isn’t about just heroin, cocaine, or other illegal drugs. You can get addicted to alcohol, nicotine, opioid painkillers, and other legal substances.
At first, you may choose to take a drug because you like the way it makes you feel. You may think you can control how much and how often you use it. But over time, drugs change how your brain works. These physical changes can last a long time. They make you lose self-control and can lead you to damaging behaviors.
Your brain is wired to make you want to repeat experiences that make you feel good. So you’re motivated to do them again and again. The drugs that may be addictive target your brain’s reward system. They flood your brain with a chemical called dopamine. This triggers a feeling of intense pleasure. So you keep taking the drug.
Now let's look at the signs of drug addiction:
Signs of Addiction
You may have one or more of these warning signs:
• An urge to use the drug every day, or many times a day.
• You take more drugs than you want to, and for longer than you thought you would.
• You always have the drug with you, and you buy it even if you can’t afford it.
• You keep using drugs even if it causes you trouble at work or makes you lash out at family and friends.
• You spend more time alone.
• You don’t take care of yourself or care how you look.
• You steal, lie, or do dangerous things like driving while high or have unsafe sex.
• You spend most of your time getting, using, or recovering from the effects of the drug.
• You feel sick when you try to quit.
Please, read these signs very well. Have you at any point in time noticed any such sign? Please be truthful to yourself! Or, have you noticed your friends with such signs? Never mind! That is not the end of the road, as there are remedies and controls.
Finally for today;
When To Get Help
If your drug use is out of control or causing problems, talk to your doctor. Getting better from drug addiction can take time. There’s no cure, but treatment can help you stop using drugs and stay drug-free. Your treatment may include counseling, medicine, or both. Talk to your doctor to figure out the best plan for you.
Hopefully in our next lecture, we will succinctly treat the effects of hard drugs, types, control and remedies.
So we have it done for today. Please feel free to ask any of your questions.
Excellent Sports Fans Club (ESFC) member and fellow health practitioner, Ifeanyi Salgado had some important questions to ask our lecturer of the week, Pharmacist Chinwe Nancy and her medical team, thus;
Questions
1). Once in a long while, I do take antibiotics(ampiclox), Bicham specifically, just one or two tablets 💊. A chemist friend said it's good for the body flushing. Am I abusing the drug?
2) I have a friend who can never take any soft drink without flooding tramadol into the drink. What can I do to scare him away from this act?
3) My friend is currently taking some malaria drugs because he feels he's down with one. What effect does it have to take malaria drugs when it hasn't been confirmed to be malaria?
Answers
Firstly, if you don't have any reason for taking ampiclox, then its drug abuse. Yes, people talk about blood flushing - but there are medications for that in which our pharmacist here can attest to. Antibiotics should be taken based on specific indications. if otherwise, its abused.
It's a very wrong notion that ampiclox is good for body flushing. You have been abusing the drug and that's dangerous. You have been told some of the side effects earlier by chance, so stop taking the drug.
For the second question, you need to advise your friend to stop taking the drug and also tell him severally the side effects of tramadol. If he insists, try and take him to the hospital to see a doctor. If he refuses this, leave him alone and let him face the consequences!
For the third question, malaria is the commonest cause of fever in this our environment, but most people tend to do self medication and this is not advisable. It is better to go and see your doctor when you are down with fever. Fever can also be due to other things like typhoid, sepsis, UTI, e.t.c and this must be thoroughly evaluated and treated appropriately.
So, I guess we've learnt a thing or two from one of Excellent Sports Fans Club (ESFC) medical practitioners Pharmacist Miss Chinwe Nancy on Drug Abuse, Usage, Addiction & Control.
Till I bring to you another interesting Health/Safety talk next week, on behalf of the Excellent Sports Fans Club (ESFC), always remember, "stay healthy; Safety First"!
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