If you have ever been in pain, then you know the benefits of taking something to help ease your discomfort. Most patients receiving pain medication prefer to be rid of the pain more than they desire to continue taking the drug. However, most will also tell you that breaking free from needing the drug to alter the pain is a difficult process, especially once relief’s received.
The balance between “managing” pain and over medicating pain is delicate, to say the least. For that reason a growing alliance of states are joining hands to help reduce the opportunities of prescribed medications from becoming a drug abuse problem. But for some, the idea of limiting access to pain medication may seem more like a "hinderance" than a help. The concept behind this design isn't to stop access but to monitor abuse.
The Alliance of States with Prescription Monitoring Programs
(http://www.pmpalliance.org/) is an organization concerned with reducing opportunities of prescription drug abuse. Through their drug monitoring initiations, the organization has been able to unite, share and offer insight to states who join their organization within the U.S.
Their mission statement is pretty straight forward:
“The Alliance of States with Prescription Monitoring Programs provides a forum for information sharing on prescription monitoring programs (PMPs) among state and federal agencies seeking to curtail drug diversion and abuse while ensuring patient care.”
The real root of the prescription pain medication concern is the over medicating or loop holes within the system. Just recently, Tennessee adopted a PMP program to curtail the overprescribing of pain medication problem they were facing. The number of pain medication prescriptions issued were so outrageously high that something had to be done. Through 37,266 prescriptions, over 5 million doses prescribed to only 3,611 patients. The prescribed medications street value was over $55+/- million based on the assumed average of the street value provided by the Tennessee Drug Diversion Task Force.
The following information is provided on the Alliance website (http://www.pmpalliance.org/)
BY THE NUMBERS
• Prescription opioid overdose is now the second leading cause of accidental death in the United States, killing more people than heroin and cocaine combined.
• In 2009, Tennessee ranked second in the nation, with 17.3 retail prescriptions written per capita, compared with a national average of 12.
• Nationwide, prescription drugs account for the second most commonly abused category of drugs, second only to marijuana.
• 7 million Americans report current nonmedical use of prescription drugs, more than the number using cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens and inhalants combined.
• 1,059 Tennesseans died from drug overdoses in 2010, more than doubling over a decade.
• The top prescriber in Tennessee wrote prescriptions for more than 5 million doses of painkillers in 2011.
(Sources: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Tennessee Department of Health, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy)
Many of these drugs, when mixed with a minimal amount of alcohol, can stop the patient from breathing, linking directly to death. The urgency to stop overprescription of pain medication while eliminating the accessibility to these types of drugs has proven to be a double edged sword. There is often a distinct line between those who desperately need them versus those who are abusing them or using them with other drugs like alcohol.
PMP monitoring is for the benefit of the patient and a deterrent for those abusing the system (both medical professionals and patients). The problem does not just lie with the patients; many doctors overprescribe and undereducate/monitor their patients when issuing pain medication for long term use. Not all patients respond the same to pain medication. From hallucinations to respiratory complications, pain medications can lead to severe side effects that are not consistent in every patient.
Before agreeing to take any pain medication, consider asking your physician the following questions:
*What should/shouldn’t be taken with the medication (i.e. Food, beverage, other medications, supplements, etc)?
*How long and how often (is there a limit to the number of doses per 24 hours and when will you stop taking the medication)?
*What is the history of drug’s effect on your kidneys, heart, liver, etc?
*Has your physician performed a drug interaction check BEFORE issuing the drug?
*Does your current overall health condition make you a good candidate for the medication (i.e. Do you have any known heart disease or other health condition that may interfere with taking the drug)?
*Have you been totally honest with your doctor about your alcohol and/or other drug consumption? If the answer is NO, then stop and consider the deadly side effects from mixing the two.
*Who will monitor your progress on the pain medication? Will the doctor’s office check in with you within the first 24 – 48 hours from when you consumed the pain medication to verify your side effects/response?
Pain medications can be lethal and have long term side effects while also inducing addictive qualities in some patients. Before agreeing to take a pain medication prescription, consider the alternatives and review the drug thoroughly.
Unfortunately, doctors are not expressly trained to know the entirety of drugs they prescribe and rely heavily upon the pharmaceutical companies to research and provide accurate information to them.
Quick Tips for Wellness: Before agreeing to consume pain medication, know everything (possible) about it! Not everyone responds the same.
Quick Tips for Wellness ™ Copyright © 2012, All Rights Reserved
Follow me on Facebook (Quick Tips for Wellness) and Twitter @wellnesstips4u
No comments:
Post a Comment