Prescription Drug Misuse

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Prevention and Risk Factors
• Treatments and Therapies

Learn More

• Specifics

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Research

• Statistics and Research
• Journal Articles

Resources

• Find an Expert

For You

• Teenagers
• Patient Handouts

Summary

If you take a medicine in a way that is different from what the doctor prescribed, it is called prescription drug misuse. 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

Misusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. These include opioids, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants.

Every medicine has some risk of side effects. Doctors take this into account when prescribing medicines. People who misuse 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

• Prescription Drug Abuse (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Diagnosis and Tests

• Drug Testing (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Mental Health Screening (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Opioid Testing (National Library of Medicine) 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

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

Specifics

• Anabolic Steroids: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Benzodiazepines (Drug Enforcement Administration)
• Stimulant ADHD Medications -- Methylphenidate and Amphetamines (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF Also in Spanish

Statistics and Research

• 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
• Popping Pills: Prescription Drug Abuse in America (National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF
• Which Classes of Prescription Drugs Are Commonly Misused? (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish

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

• Article: Characteristics and correlates of U.S. clinicians prescribing buprenorphine for opioid use...
• Article: Expanding access to nurse-managed medication for opioid use disorder.
• Article: Increasing Rates of Opioid Prescriptions for Gastrointestinal Diseases in the United...
• Prescription Drug Misuse -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• Behavioral Health 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 to End Addiction

Teenagers

• Depressants (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Misuse of Prescription Pain Relievers: The Buzz Takes Your Breath Away. Permanently. (Food and Drug Administration)
• Prescription Drug Abuse (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
• Prescription Drugs (National Institute on Drug Abuse) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

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