Posts Tagged ‘Respiratory Depression’

Information on the pain killer drug Oxycontin

September 27th, 2011 by Tramadol
argiro.mike asked:




Short-term side effects

Some of the common side effects of the drug at the initial stage of its usage are dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting, nausea, constipation and itching, sweating, dry mouth, loss of appetite, weakness, and headache. There may be a decrease in few of these side effects with continued use of OxyContin. You will need medical help if you experience side effects such as feeling confused, your breathing slows down or any other unusual symptoms such as vision changes, difficulty in urinating, mood swings, agitation, and hallucinations. Respiratory depression is one of the most severe short-term side effects of this drug. It slows down breathing that can lead to coma or even prove fatal. Some rare but equally serious side effects such as severe abdominal pain, change in the amount of urine passed, and seizures may also occur. Inform your doctor immediately of these side effects if any. Older persons are more sensitive to this drug and are more prone to side effects such as shallow or slow breathing and drowsiness. Use of this drug can make you sleepy hence, it is best to avoid driving, participating in possibly dangerous activities or operating heavy machinery while administering this drug. Drinking alcohol along with it can result in dangerous side effects. OxyContin abusers enjoy a rush of euphoria very similar to drugs such as heroin when they remove the sustained-release coating to get a rapid release of the medication. Using a tablet that is broken, dissolved, crushed, or chewed can lead to the entire 12-hour dosage being absorbed into your body all at once. This is dangerous as it results in overdosing and possible death.

Long-term side effects

There is an increased risk of addiction and abuse while administering Pain killer drug Oxycontin. Addiction to this drug is a long-term side effect, which is almost impossible to recover from without the professional help of any detox or rehab program. Another side effect is the increased tolerance one develops towards the drug due to prolonged usage; which results in having to administer higher doses to get the desired initial effect. Besides being emotionally addictive, it is physically addictive as well. The physical addiction to the drug results in intense and painful withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation of its use.

Warnings

It should be kept it out of the reach of children, as an accidental overdose by a child may result in death. Since Oxycontin is a prescription narcotic painkiller, it is illegal and potentially dangerous to share, sell, or give away this drug without a prescription. Administering this drug in conjunction with other medications especially if they cause drowsiness can lead to dangerous side effects. It is not recommended for use during pregnancy as it may cause harm to the unborn baby or while breast-feeding as it may pass through milk causing adverse effect on the nursing baby. Infants born to mothers who have used it for a long time may experience withdrawal symptoms such as persistent or abnormal crying, vomiting, or diarrhea.



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The Dangers of Prescription Pain Killers – Oxycontin

January 24th, 2011 by Tramadol
Katie Kelley asked:




Millions of people suffer from untreated pain for a variety of illnesses and ailments. In fact, since 1986, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that inadequate treatment of cancer and non-cancer pain is a serious public health concern.

Therefore, in the face of this knowledge, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new, controlled release pain reliever in 1995 called Oxycontin.

Oxycontin (Oxycodone HCI controlled-release) is the brand name of a drug that contains the opioid Oxycodone, a very strong narcotic pain reliever with twice the potency of morphine. By 2001, Oxycontin was the most widely prescribed brand name narcotic pain medication, with sales exceeding $1 billion annually. Originally prescribed to help treat the pain associated with cancer, Oxycontin was designed to slowly release Oxycodone over time, allowing patients to use it twice daily and to retain steady relief.

The opioid quality of Oxycontin works to relieve pain by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. When these drugs attach to the opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord they can effectively block the transmission of pain messages to the brain.

However, due to the potency of the drug, if large amounts of oxycodone are released from the tablet all at once, there is potential for a dangerous or fatal drug overdose.

Pharmacological effects of opioid agonists, including Oxycontin, are:

* Anxiolysis (a drug-induced state where patients respond normally to verbal commands). While coordination and cognitive function may be impaired, other functions remain unaffected).

* Euphoria.

* Feelings of relaxation.

* Respiratory depression.

* Constipation.

* Miosis.

* Cough suppression.

Adverse effects of opioid agonists and Oxycontin include:

* Nausea.

* Vomiting.

* Central nervous system (CNS) effects.

* Respiratory depression.

In addition, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), abuse of Oxycontin is associated with serious consequences including addiction, overdose and death. The FDA states the potential dangers associated with Oxycontin and, while it is approved for use, has classified Oxycontin as a schedule II controlled substance under the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 because it has a high potential for abuse and can lead to psychological and/or physical dependence. Schedule II drugs have the highest potential for abuse of any approved drugs.

In early 2000, reports of improper and illicit use of Oxycontin surfaced. Some of these reported cases have been associated with serious consequences including death. Oxycontin, as with any prescription narcotic, carries with it some risk of dependency and abuse. However, due to the large numbers of prescriptions being written for Oxycontin it is difficult to monitor the use and abuse of Oxycontin. Even though Oxycontin was originally intended to help cancer patients treat their chronic pain, more prescriptions are being written to treat moderate to severe non-cancer pain. The prescriptions for Oxycontin, particularly those to treat non-cancer pain, are growing rapidly, with nearly half of the prescriptions being made by primary care physicians.

According to the FDA, there is some concern that Oxycontin is being prescribed by physicians who are not properly trained in pain management. The FDA has cited Purdue Pharmaceuticals twice for using potentially false or misleading medical journal advertisements that violated the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. As such, the FDA has taken action against Purdue Pharmaceutical. Purdue’s aggressive, and sometimes deceptive, advertising campaign promoting Oxycontin as a “general” pain reliever contributes to the cavalier attitude being taken. These attitudes have led to wide spread abuse of this potent pain medication. Other factors that contribute to the wide abuse of Oxycontin include:

* Availability of the drug: To those that need it and to those that do not.

* The warning label: Warns against the dangers of crushing Oxycontin because of the possibility of a rapid release of the potentially fatal narcotic in fact informed users of how to abuse the drug. All opioids carry a risk of dependency and abuse. For example heroin, a well-known narc otic, is a very potent opioid and comes with a very high risk of dependency and abuse.

* Inadequate research: The controlled release quality of Oxycontin led the FDA to believe it would have less potential for abuse than other pain medications of the same

* caliber and class. However, there was an oversight in the process of research, as the FDA did not consider that Oxycontin could be crushed or dissolved in water. Doing this disrupts the controlled release process and instead causes a rush or “high” in the user.

Congressional hearings were held in December 2001 and again in February 2002 to address the abuse of Oxycontin. Both the FDA and Purdue Pharmaceutical began to take steps to address the problems associated with the use and abuse of Oxycontin. In July 2001 the FDA strengthened the warnings and precautions section in the labeling, issuing a “black box” warning, the highest possible warning level. Together with Purdue Pharmaceuticals, the FDA also developed a risk management program to help detect the abuse of, and prevent abuse of, Oxycontin.

Purdue has also initiated programs to educate health care providers about the risks associated with the abuse of Oxycontin. They have issued a warning in the form of a “Dear Healthcare Professional” letter. The letter informs health care providers of the potential misuse of Oxycontin and reiterates the importance of discretion and necessity when prescribing the drug.

The letter was distributed widely to physicians, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals in an attempt to thwart the writing of gratuitous prescriptions and to ensure that health care providers are communicating accurately and thoroughly the dangers associated with the use of Oxycontin to their patients.

The FDA continues to monitor the use and abuse of Oxycontin and is working together with other federal agencies and drug manufacturers to ensure that this drug continues to be available to those that need it, and that it is being used in appropriate ways. Discounting the abuse and addiction concerns, when properly prescribed and used as directed, Oxycontin is an effective pain medication for moderate to severe pain.



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Buprenorphine and Suboxone, Treating Opioid Addictions

August 30th, 2010 by Tramadol
Marquis Nelson asked:




Buprenorphine is an opiod medication used in the treatment of opioid addiction. It is usually dispensed by a physician as a take home treatment. Heroin and other opiate addictions can be safely treated and by the process of gaining American FDA approval it has crossed one major hurdle.

While Buprenorphine is the generic name for a chemical compound, short form for Buprenorphine Hydrochloride and is a semi-synthetic opioid. Suboxone and Subutex are brand names of Buprenorphine-based medications.

Suboxone contains 4 parts Buprenorphine and 1 part naloxone. Only active ingredient in Subutex is Buprenorphine. Most physicians prefer Suboxone because it is less likely to be misused due to presence of the naloxone. Even though Suboxone was invented for the US market, it is available in other countries as well.

Buprenorphine as a Cure

For treating opiate addiction Buprenophine as an analgesic may act as fourth medication other being methadone, naltrexone, and LAAM (l-alpha-acetyl-methadol). Buprenorphine’s unique effects and pharmacology make it an attractive and clinically helpful treatment option. For example, buprenorphine produces less euphoria than morphine and heroin. Significant lower degree of sedation and respiratory depression is caused by buprenorphine than other opiates; heroin overdoses gets dangerous when breathing gets slowed down. Even high doses of buprenorphine–as much as 100 times the dose at which it produces analgesia–do not produce dangerous respiratory effects. “Respiratory depression caused by buprenorphine is not of clinical concern,” says Segal, “which makes it an extremely attractive treatment alternative.”

Buprenorphine being an agonist which are chemicals that bind to and stimulate opiate receptors has limited side effects.

SUBOXONE Treatment

The use of Suboxone as an office based treatment for opioid dependence can be divided into 6 phases:

Pretreatment Screening: The goal in this phase is to determine whether office based treatment is best course of action for a particular patient. It consists of a brief interview conducted over phone or in person.

Intake: patients accepted for treatment in the pretreatment screening are then scheduled for intake. To establish the patient’s medical record showing suitability for office based treatment is the main objective of the intake.

Induction: The chief goal is to safely suppress opioid withdrawal as rapidly as possible with adequate doses of SUBOXONE. The patient should be warned of possible moderate opioid withdrawal symptoms. This stage usually lasts anywhere from 2-5 days and should begin immediately following intake.

Stabilization: During this stage the patient’s SUBOXONE dose is “fine-tuned.” The objective is being to find the minimum dose necessary to hold the patient in treatment and suppress opioid withdrawal effects, and use. This is done with progressive dose adjustments.

Maintenance:

Chief goals are:

Prevent opioid withdrawal symptoms

Suppress opioid cravings

Self-administered opioids are attenuated for use

Medically Supervised Withdrawal: Only when the patient and physician agree that it is beneficial, it is done to them. The patient’s SUBOXONE dose should be slowly tapered at a rate that both physician and patient consider acceptable.

Patients should be prepared for the possibility of mild, transitory withdrawal symptoms, which may include reduced energy, reduced appetite, irritability, or insomnia.

When applying SUBOXONE treatment, therapy and psychosocial counseling should be continued and regularly monitored. Person’s recovery and well being are dependent on these steps.



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Percocet, Percodan, Tylox – Oxycodone: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing

June 20th, 2010 by Tramadol

Percocet, Tylox & Percodans are the different trade names of Oxycodone products.

Oxycodone is a 14-hydroxydihydrocodeinone, semi-synthetic opioid analgesic that occurs as a white, odorless, crystalline powder having a saline, bitter taste. It is a potentially addictive opioid analgesic medication synthesized from thebaine.

Oxycodone Prescription:

It was first introduced to the US market in May 1939 and is the active ingredient in a number of pain medications commonly prescribed for the relief of moderate to heavy pain. Oxycodone is prescribed for moderate to high pain relief associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocation, fractures, neuralgia, arthritis, and lower back pain. It is also used postoperatively and for pain relief after childbirth. It is a commonly used medication for treatment of pain in cancer patients.

Oxycodone Abuse:

Oxycodone has a high abuse potential as it is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. In the United States, oxycodone is a controlled substance both as a single agent and in combination with products containing acetaminophen (Percocet, Tylox), ibuprofen or aspirin (Percodan). Oxycodone’s action appears to work through stimulating the opioid receptors found in the central nervous system that activate responses ranging from analgesia to respiratory depression to euphoria.

Oxycodone abusers ingest the drug in a variety of ways. They often chew the tablets or crush the tablets and snort the powder. As oxycodone is water soluble, crushed tablets can be dissolved in water and the solution injected.

Effects of Oxycodone Abuse:

Side effects of Oxycodone include constipation, dryness of the mouth, confusion, sedation, light-headedness, respiratory depression, nausea, vomiting, headache, & sweating etc while symptoms of overdose include slow breathing, seizures, dizziness, weakness, loss of consciousness, coma, confusion, cold or clammy skin & small pupils to name a few.

People who take the drug repeatedly can develop a tolerance or resistance to the drug’s effects. Thus, a cancer patient can take a dose of oxycodone on a regular basis that would be fatal in a person never exposed to oxycodone or another opioid. Most individuals who abuse oxycodone seek to gain the euphoric effects, mitigate pain, and avoid withdrawal symptoms associated with oxycodone or heroin abstinence.

Percocet, a narcotic analgesic, is used to treat moderate to moderately severe pain. It consists of two drugs—acetaminophen & oxycodone. Acetaminophen is used to reduce both pain and fever. Oxycodone, a narcotic analgesic, is used for its calming effect and for pain. Serious adverse reactions that may be associated with Percocet tablet use include respiratory depression, apnea, respiratory arrest, circulatory depression, and hypertension

Percodan is a potent compound painkiller used to treat moderately severe to severe acute pain. Percodan consists of aspirin & oxycodone, a potent opioid agonist. At one time one of the most widely prescribed painkillers, Percodan has largely been replaced by alternative oxycodone compounds containing acetaminophen (Tylenol) instead of aspirin, such as Percocet.

Federal Regulations:

Like other opioid medications, Tylox, Percodan, Percocet tablets are subject to the Federal Controlled Substances Act. After chronic use, Tylox, Percodan, Percocet tablets should not be discontinued abruptly when it is thought that the patient has become physically dependent on oxycodone.

Oxycodone Testing:

Urine testing for oxycodone may be performed to determine its illicit use and for medical reasons such as evaluation of patients with altered states of consciousness or monitoring efficacy of drug rehabilitation efforts. Based on pharmacokinetic data, the approximate detection duration for a single dose of oxycodone is roughly estimated to be one to two days following drug exposure.

Oxycodone, like other opioids, has been diverted for non- medical use. Careful record-keeping of prescribing information, including quantity, frequency, and renewal requests is strongly advised.



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