Hydrocodone Research Paper
Hydrocodone
Angela Green
Kaplan University
Hydrocodone was first introduced in 1920 by a German pharmaceutical company and was thought to be easier on the stomach. During this time thousands of people were having growing opium problems and needed the help of hydrocodone. “Hydrocodone is derived from codeine as a semi-synthetic opioid and it is most often used orally as a narcotic.” (https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Hydrocodone). It is used to relieve moderate to severe pain and coughing. “In both cases, hydrocodone helps the patient by going straight to the brain and changing the way it responds to things.” (http://www.hydrocodonehelp.com/history-of-hydrocodone). FDA first approved hydrocodone for use as an cough …show more content…
syrup in the
United States on March 23, 1943. By the 1950s, it was established that hydrocodone has an abuse liability similar to that of morphine. (http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2014/fr0227.htm). Over the past 50 years hydrocodone has become one of the most addictive prescription drugs around. It’s one of the most doctor prescribed drugs in the United States and has recently been upgraded to a Schedule II drug.
Hydrocodone is considered to be a highly addictive drug. “Hydrocodone is a cough suppressant and analgesic agent for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain.” “Many studies show that hydrocodone is more effective than codeine for cough suppression and equal in effectiveness as morphine for pain relief.” (http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/uses.htm). “It is one of hundreds of older drugs that were introduced before 1962, when Congress passed a landmark amendment to the Food and Drug Act that gave the FDA much more power to oversee safety and efficacy testing.” (http://www.science20.com/mouse_farm/secret_history_pain_killers-91303). Hydrocodone is abused to achieve its opioid effects and makes people have a euphoric feeling which makes people feel happy and pain free. It is very easy to become tolerant to this drug so people are taking it in higher amounts so that they can achieve the same feeling. Hydrocodone is mixed with acetaminophen or ibuprofen and is not good for the lining of the stomach. “Taking too much of these painkillers causes permanent stomach and liver damage.” (http://www.crchealth.com/find-a-treatment-center/california-treatment-information/popularly-abused-drugs/prescription-drug-painkillers/#Hydrocodone). Hydrocodone is so addictive that a person can be addicted and never really know it until they are extremely hooked.
“Hydrocodone is the most prescribed prescription pain reliever in the United States.
It is also the most abused prescription drug, showing up in 40-50% of the prescription drug abuse cases worked by law enforcement agencies.” (http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/general.htm). “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that enough hydrocodone is prescribed for every U.S. adult to receive 5 mg every 4 hours for a month.” (www.painmed.org/.../hydrocodone). Typical abusers usually take 15-20 pills a day and some people take up to even 40-50. Common side effects include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, drowsiness, constipation, vomiting, and euphoria. Overdose can produce respiratory depression, coma, and cardiac arrest, in addition to other events. More people are dying from prescription drug over doses than vehicle accidents. DEA is limiting the amount of pills they give to pharmacies and patients to try and cut down on the amount of overdoses. The agency has recently reclassified hydrocodone from a Schedule III drug to a Schedule II drug which means it is more addictive. Doctor are only allowed to prescribe a certain amount a month now and they have to come back for a prescription you can’t call over the phone …show more content…
anymore.
In 2005, more than 17 million Americans aged 12 or older reported non-medical use of a hydrocodone pain reliever at least once in their lifetime, representing eight percent of the population aged 12 years or older.
Of those 17 million individuals, more than 8 million reported using hydrocodone in the past year. “(http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E7-19340.htm). “Hydrocodone took the place of many codeine prescriptions that used to be written. Now there are more than 139 million prescriptions written each year for medications that contain hydrocodone.” (http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html). “Each year in the US, an estimated five million people abuse pain relievers. Some people will abuse them once and some people will abuse them enough that cravings kick in and drive further use. On the other hand, some people will use them legitimately and then find that they like how the drugs made them feel. This will lead to overuse of the drug and eventual addiction.” (http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html). It’s amazing to me to see how many people are addicted to pain pills that you wouldn’t even know about. To them it’s a normal routine and they see nothing wrong with it because it was prescribed by a doctor. Hydrocodone can be sold on the streets from $4-8$ depending on where you live and the demand of the pill. Overdoses have tripled in just 10 years and no matter what happens people who are addicted to the drug will find a way to get
it. If they can’t find this drug they will move on to another drug to find their fix. I personally think it is unstoppable and it will continue to get worse. Hydrocodone is a very dangerous drug and unfortunately many people felt it wasn’t dangerous.
“During the most recent decade, the number of drug poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics more than tripled from about 4,000 in 1999 to 1,800 in 2008.” (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db81.htm). Over the years the numbers of deaths continue to climb due to this dangerous drug. It’s like an epidemic and it will stop at nothing. Today hydrocodone contributes to about 16000 deaths a year, that’s more than heroin and cocaine combined. It is estimated that almost 7 million Americans abuse controlled substances and that number continues to rise. I have actually learned so much from doing this paper. I had no idea that hydrocodone was the number one drug used today. It has come so far from when it was first introduced back in the 1920’s. Back then, you could buy this drug over the counter and that was considered normal. Today, the people who really need this drug are unable to get it because of the people who abuse it. Hydrocodone will continue to be on the rise and the amount of deaths each year will grow. It is sad to say but I feel this drug is unstoppable and will continue to drag more and more people down the path of addiction.
References:
(https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Hydrocodone)
(http://www.hydrocodonehelp.com/history-of-hydrocodone)
(http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2014/fr0227.htm)
(http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/uses.htm).
(http://www.science20.com/mouse_farm/secret_history_pain_killers-91303)
(http://www.crchealth.com/find-a-treatment-center/california-treatment-information/popularly-abused-drugs/prescription-drug-painkillers/#Hydrocodone).
(www.painmed.org/.../hydrocodone).
(http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E7-19340.htm) http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html) (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db81.htm)
References:
Angela Green
Kaplan University
Hydrocodone was first introduced in 1920 by a German pharmaceutical company and was thought to be easier on the stomach. During this time thousands of people were having growing opium problems and needed the help of hydrocodone. “Hydrocodone is derived from codeine as a semi-synthetic opioid and it is most often used orally as a narcotic.” (https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Hydrocodone). It is used to relieve moderate to severe pain and coughing. “In both cases, hydrocodone helps the patient by going straight to the brain and changing the way it responds to things.” (http://www.hydrocodonehelp.com/history-of-hydrocodone). FDA first approved hydrocodone for use as an cough …show more content…
syrup in the
United States on March 23, 1943. By the 1950s, it was established that hydrocodone has an abuse liability similar to that of morphine. (http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2014/fr0227.htm). Over the past 50 years hydrocodone has become one of the most addictive prescription drugs around. It’s one of the most doctor prescribed drugs in the United States and has recently been upgraded to a Schedule II drug.
Hydrocodone is considered to be a highly addictive drug. “Hydrocodone is a cough suppressant and analgesic agent for the treatment of moderate to moderately severe pain.” “Many studies show that hydrocodone is more effective than codeine for cough suppression and equal in effectiveness as morphine for pain relief.” (http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/uses.htm). “It is one of hundreds of older drugs that were introduced before 1962, when Congress passed a landmark amendment to the Food and Drug Act that gave the FDA much more power to oversee safety and efficacy testing.” (http://www.science20.com/mouse_farm/secret_history_pain_killers-91303). Hydrocodone is abused to achieve its opioid effects and makes people have a euphoric feeling which makes people feel happy and pain free. It is very easy to become tolerant to this drug so people are taking it in higher amounts so that they can achieve the same feeling. Hydrocodone is mixed with acetaminophen or ibuprofen and is not good for the lining of the stomach. “Taking too much of these painkillers causes permanent stomach and liver damage.” (http://www.crchealth.com/find-a-treatment-center/california-treatment-information/popularly-abused-drugs/prescription-drug-painkillers/#Hydrocodone). Hydrocodone is so addictive that a person can be addicted and never really know it until they are extremely hooked.
“Hydrocodone is the most prescribed prescription pain reliever in the United States.
It is also the most abused prescription drug, showing up in 40-50% of the prescription drug abuse cases worked by law enforcement agencies.” (http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/general.htm). “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that enough hydrocodone is prescribed for every U.S. adult to receive 5 mg every 4 hours for a month.” (www.painmed.org/.../hydrocodone). Typical abusers usually take 15-20 pills a day and some people take up to even 40-50. Common side effects include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, drowsiness, constipation, vomiting, and euphoria. Overdose can produce respiratory depression, coma, and cardiac arrest, in addition to other events. More people are dying from prescription drug over doses than vehicle accidents. DEA is limiting the amount of pills they give to pharmacies and patients to try and cut down on the amount of overdoses. The agency has recently reclassified hydrocodone from a Schedule III drug to a Schedule II drug which means it is more addictive. Doctor are only allowed to prescribe a certain amount a month now and they have to come back for a prescription you can’t call over the phone …show more content…
anymore.
In 2005, more than 17 million Americans aged 12 or older reported non-medical use of a hydrocodone pain reliever at least once in their lifetime, representing eight percent of the population aged 12 years or older.
Of those 17 million individuals, more than 8 million reported using hydrocodone in the past year. “(http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E7-19340.htm). “Hydrocodone took the place of many codeine prescriptions that used to be written. Now there are more than 139 million prescriptions written each year for medications that contain hydrocodone.” (http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html). “Each year in the US, an estimated five million people abuse pain relievers. Some people will abuse them once and some people will abuse them enough that cravings kick in and drive further use. On the other hand, some people will use them legitimately and then find that they like how the drugs made them feel. This will lead to overuse of the drug and eventual addiction.” (http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html). It’s amazing to me to see how many people are addicted to pain pills that you wouldn’t even know about. To them it’s a normal routine and they see nothing wrong with it because it was prescribed by a doctor. Hydrocodone can be sold on the streets from $4-8$ depending on where you live and the demand of the pill. Overdoses have tripled in just 10 years and no matter what happens people who are addicted to the drug will find a way to get
it. If they can’t find this drug they will move on to another drug to find their fix. I personally think it is unstoppable and it will continue to get worse. Hydrocodone is a very dangerous drug and unfortunately many people felt it wasn’t dangerous.
“During the most recent decade, the number of drug poisoning deaths involving opioid analgesics more than tripled from about 4,000 in 1999 to 1,800 in 2008.” (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db81.htm). Over the years the numbers of deaths continue to climb due to this dangerous drug. It’s like an epidemic and it will stop at nothing. Today hydrocodone contributes to about 16000 deaths a year, that’s more than heroin and cocaine combined. It is estimated that almost 7 million Americans abuse controlled substances and that number continues to rise. I have actually learned so much from doing this paper. I had no idea that hydrocodone was the number one drug used today. It has come so far from when it was first introduced back in the 1920’s. Back then, you could buy this drug over the counter and that was considered normal. Today, the people who really need this drug are unable to get it because of the people who abuse it. Hydrocodone will continue to be on the rise and the amount of deaths each year will grow. It is sad to say but I feel this drug is unstoppable and will continue to drag more and more people down the path of addiction.
References:
(https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Hydrocodone)
(http://www.hydrocodonehelp.com/history-of-hydrocodone)
(http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/fed_regs/rules/2014/fr0227.htm)
(http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/uses.htm).
(http://www.science20.com/mouse_farm/secret_history_pain_killers-91303)
(http://www.crchealth.com/find-a-treatment-center/california-treatment-information/popularly-abused-drugs/prescription-drug-painkillers/#Hydrocodone).
(www.painmed.org/.../hydrocodone).
(http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E7-19340.htm) http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html) (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db81.htm)
References: