Posts Tagged ‘Codeine’

Codeine: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing

Tarun Gupta asked:




Introduction:

Codeine or methylmorphine is an opiate used for its analgesic, antitussive and antidiarrheal properties. It is marketed as the salts codeine sulfate and codeine phosphate. Codeine hydrochloride is more commonly marketed in continental Europe and other regions.

Codeine is an alkaloid found in opium in concentrations ranging from 0.3 to 3.0 percent. While codeine can be extracted from opium, most codeine is synthesized from morphine through the process of O-methylation. The chemical name of codeine phosphate is 7,8-Didehydro-4,5alpha-epoxy-3-methoxy-17-methyl morphinan-6alpha-ol phosphate (1:1) (salt) hemi-hydrate.

Codeine Dosage & Administration:

Each soluble tablet contains 30 mg (0.074 mmol) or 60 mg (0.15 mmol) of codeine phosphate. Codeine is safe at dosage from 10-60mg at once. However, when Codeine is used recreationally it is between 60mg to 400 mg in one shot. If an individual uses more than 400 mg in one shot, it exceeds the amount of drug the liver can metabolize at once which means that it will be wasted. Codeine is usually taken orally, rectally (via the anus) and is also given as a shot. It is never, however, be snorted, smoked or injected intravenously.

Codeine Prescription:

Codeine is medically prescribed for the relief of moderate pain and cough suppression. It is made into tablets either alone or in combination with aspirin or acetaminophen (i.e., Tylenol with Codeine,). As a cough suppressant, codeine is found in a number of liquid preparations. Codeine is also used to a lesser extent as an injectable solution for the treatment of pain.

Codeine Abuse:

Codeine products are largely diverted from legitimate sources to the illicit market where it forms the daily dose of a large chunk of drug abusers. Prescription drug abuse involves multi-billion dollar market in the US alone and codeine is a significant “contributor” to it!

Euphoric effects associated with opiates are one of the major reasons for wide spread codeine usage. Easy availability of codeine further promotes its use for recreational purposes. Codeine can be obtained either over the counter in low doses or through prescription combination drugs.

Effects of Codeine Abuse:

Just like any other prescription drug abuse, Codeine abuse is largely reflected in the physiological state of health of a drug abuser. There are many common adverse drug reactions that are associated with the use of codeine. These include – euphoria, itching, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dry mouth, miosis (pupil shortening), orthostatic hypotension, urinary retention and constipation. Compared to morphine, codeine produces less analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression, and is usually taken orally. However, as with most other drugs, prolonged use of codeine results in development of tolerance to many of its effects and thus, abuser also becomes tolerant to its therapeutic effects.

Prescription Laws:

In the United States, Codiene is regulated by the Controlled Substances Act. It is a controlled substance for pain-relief products containing codeine alone or more than 90 mg per dosage unit. Preparations for cough or diarrhea containing small amounts of codeine in combination with two or more other active ingredients may be dispensed in amounts up to 4 fl. oz. per 48 hours without a prescription. In locales where dilute codeine preparations are non-prescription, anywhere from very few to perhaps a moderate percentage of pharmacists will sell these preparations without a prescription.

Codeine Testing:

There is diverse array of techniques available to test for drug abuse and codeine is no exception. It can be detected using any of the following methods:

•Urine based codeine testing

•Hair follicle based Codeine detection

•Gas Chromatography based Codeine detection

•Mass spectrometry based Codeine testing

•Codeine-specific Antibody based detection kits

Most of the codeine is excreted within 24 hours. However, 5% to 15% of codeine remains unchanged and some part may also exist as a product of glucuronide conjugates of codeine and its metabolites which may be detected by above said methods.



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Side effects of the pain killer Codeine

argiro.mike asked:




Codeine is a pain-killer that is extremely popular with a great number of users around the world and there is no doubt that there is a legitimate reason for people to use and take this form of medication. There is a huge problem with pain-killers though in that people can become quickly addicted to them and find that their benefits wear off over time. This is because the user will quickly develop a tolerance to them meaning that if the user wishes to experience the same feeling they had when initially taking the drug, they need to take a higher dosage to do so. Any drug which encourages a higher level of use on a growing basis carries a great number of dangers, both in the short-term and long-term.

The short-term dangers of over using pain-killers are that people can fall into a dream like state where they are unable to respond quickly and become sheltered to what is actually happening. This numbing of the emotions is obviously attractive to people who are experiencing troubles or difficulties in life but it can also be very dangerous as they do not know when they are experiencing pain. This may mean that people do not seek medical help when something occurs, which can be very dangerous and could ruin a persons life in the long term.

One of the negative side affects that can arise, although that may not be the best term to use, from taking Codeine could be a loss of sex drive. Many men who have taken this form of medication have come to realize that they have encountered difficulties in obtaining and then maintaining an erection. This is extremely embarrassing and can be highly damaging for a relationship so this is a side effect that many people would wish to avoid. Some men would find it difficult to think of any ailment that would affect their confidence more than being unable to have sex which makes taking Codeine a far more difficult activity to consider than people would first think.

As well as this embarrassing problem, it is common for users to suffer from an increased level of vomiting or constipation. Although neither of these conditions is fatal, they are likely to severely impact on a person’s life, making it more difficult for them to leave the home, virtually placing them under house arrest. These conditions can be negated through taking other forms of medication but that then opens up the risk of the different forms of medicating reacting badly.

It is very common for people who take a cocktail of drugs to experience reactions that were not described in advance and this is because of the way that the medicine they are taking mixes in their body. It is recommended that pain killer Codeine is not to be taken alongside other drugs but alcohol and depressants are extremely dangerous and should not be mixed together. If a user is taking a large number of drugs, the chances of them reacting badly are high and this is definitely the case when taking this particular drug.



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Understanding Prescription Drug Addiction

Xavier Gallery asked:




The abuse and addiction of prescription medications is a growing problem in the United States. The FDA recently reported that more than 48 million people have abused prescription drugs at least once in their life. Abuse occurs under a number of different scenarios, and these include exceeding the recommended dosage, use of a drug outside of the prescribed intent, and prolonged usage. In most cases, the victim initially uses the drug within the prescribed manner. The problems tend to arise once the body builds a tolerance to the medication. Victims are then tempted to use higher doses to counteract the tolerance. It is at this point where addictions can be formed leading to physical and behavioral changes with the body.

While all medications have the potential to be abused, three categories of medicines are more likely to induce addiction behavior.

Opioids are drugs prescribed for their pain-relieving qualities. Commonly refereed to as narcotics, they include codeine, morphine, and oxycodone. Opioids work by attaching themselves to opioid receptors and blocking the transmission of pain signals to the brain. Because the body builds up a tolerance to opioids, abusers often have to consume increasing quantities to achieve their desired effect. Long-term abuse of opioid prescriptions can lead to significant withdraw symptoms (dizziness, vomiting, sweating, etc).

CNS depressants are used to alleviate anxiety and sleep disorder symptoms. The most commonly prescribed CNS depressants are diazepam, alprazolam, and pentobarbital sodium. These drugs interact with the body by decreasing the activity of the brain in order to produce a calming or drowsy effect. Long-term abuse of CNS depressants can lead to a physical dependence that can be dangerous to brain activity if the drug is withdrawn.

Another commonly abused category of drugs are stimulants. These drugs are prescribed to increase brain activity. Stimulants increase a family of brain neurotransmitters called monoamines, which in turn increases body functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and glucose production. The effects of these drugs can create a psychological dependence for the user. Consistent abuse can cause dangerous side effects such as paranoia, cardiovascular failure, and seizures.

The key to treating prescription drug abuse is to recognize the problem signs. Doctors and pharmacists must be keen observers of any sporadic activity by their patients. This can include abnormal refill cycles, prolonged symptom complaints, and incessant requests for additional medication. Friends and family members can also play an important role in early detection. Identifying behavioral changes and a perceived reliance on medication are reasons to be concerned. If you are unable to confront the victim directly, report the behavior to their doctor or pharmacist.

More information on prescription drug addiction and available treatment is available on Prescription Addiction.info



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What is the difference between tramadol and codeine?

robynn144 asked:


Is codeine a more potent painkiller than tramadol?

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How does the painkiller Tramadol work?

Funky_Sheep asked:


I also have to write a report on the pharmacology of Tramadol, could someone help me out? Preferably the guy who answered my codeine question.

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This page is provided for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a medical doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner or other qualified health professional.