Prescription opioid abuse is a serious problem in the United States, but patients can take steps to protect themselves and their loved ones.
More people died from drug overdoses in 2014 than in any year on record, and over 60 percent of those deaths involved an opioid, according to a 2016 report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services.
The report also notes that on an average day in the U.S., more than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed, and 78 people die from an opioid-related overdose. Furthermore, evidence indicates that many new heroin users (four out of five) began taking the drug after misusing prescription opioids.
A 2016 Wolters Kluwer report estimates the total national economic burden for prescription opioid overdose, abuse, and dependence at $78.5 billion annually. With the epidemic taking both physical and economic tolls on the country, health agencies are making efforts to mitigate the epidemic.
In November 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a consumer resource with questions that patients can ask their doctors if their doctors prescribe opioids such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, codeine, and morphine.
Here are three questions that the FDA recommends patients ask their doctors:
- Why do I need this medication – is it right for me? This covers such patient concerns as, “My condition is causing pain. How long do you expect it to last? What medication are you giving me? If it’s an opioid, are there non-opioid options that could help with pain relief while I recover?” If the doctor feels an opioid is the best prescription, the patient can continue.
- How long should I take this medication? The FDA recommends the patient find out when and how to stop using, or taper off, opioids. The patient should ask that the doctor prescribe the lowest dose and the smallest quantity needed, and should find out when to call to follow up on how well the prescription is working.
- Can I have an Rx for naloxone? Naloxone is a drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, and could save lives. Keeping it at home can help patients be prepared for potential problems.
The FDA advises that patients who have children at home – from toddlers to teenagers – consider storing prescription opioids in a lockbox. Furthermore, leftover medications should either be taken to a drug take-back program or, if that is not an option, flushed down the toilet.
“Play it safe,” the report urges. “It doesn’t matter who is writing the prescription, ask these questions before taking opioids.”
(For the full FDA report, visit http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm529517.htm. For the Health and Human Services Report, visit http://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/Factsheet-opioids-061516.pdf. For the Wolters Kluwer report, visit http://wolterskluwer.com.)
Soft drinks and sleep
Adults who sleep no more than five hours a night are more likely to be heavy soda drinkers than people who get more rest, suggests a new study conducted in the United States.
According to Reuters, the study showed that about 13 percent of the participants reported sleeping five hours or less a night. “What set these poor sleepers apart is they consumed 21 percent more sugar-sweetened drinks than adults who got a healthy seven to eight hours a night,” the article says. The main association was with caffeinated non-diet sodas.
Aric Prather, Ph.D., assistant professor at the University of California San Francisco School of Medicine and the lead author of the study, noted that this study does not prove sugar or caffeine directly cause poor sleep.
“With respect to sugar, it is probably more likely that a lack of sleep increases one’s drive for consuming sugar than it is that sugar is negatively affecting our ability to sleep,” said Prather.
Michael Grandner, Ph.D., director of the sleep and health research program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine, noted that “[i]t has been relatively well-established that people who don’t get enough sleep and those whose sleep is of poor quality are more likely to gain weight and become obese.”
“We also know that part of the reason for this is that their sleep patterns may be leading them to a more unhealthy diet, which may be causing the weight gain,” said Grandner, who was not involved with the study. He observed that, while soda consumption has not received specific focus, “we know that soda is a leading driver of obesity.”
Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., a research associate at Columbia University, stated that while cutting back on soda may not guarantee a better night’s sleep, it’s still a good idea, “as it would benefit other health factors.”
“At this time, there are no data to quantify if reducing soda intake could improve sleep and if it did, what aspects of sleep would be improved and by how much,” she said. “But individuals with poor sleep who consume sodas should definitely cut back on soda consumption to see if it helps them to sleep better.”
(For the full Reuters report, visit http://www.reuters.com.)