Prescription Drug Abuse Research Paper

EMC 205 Written Assignment 3 – Harrison Black
Narcotic use is a very big issue in the country right now and overdose calls are a daily occurrence for many agencies across the country. Narcotic use can become an even bigger issue during pregnancy and cause many issues for the developing fetus. There are many drugs in the narcotic category ranging from prescription drugs to illicit substances and each has the potential for abuse and dependency. One of the most known is the opiate heroin, an illicit drug derived from the opium plant. Heroin has a very high rate of abuse and addiction, and in many cases, is cut with another substance like fentanyl to strengthen the effects of the opiate. Opiate drugs affect the body by binding to opioid receptor …show more content…
Issues that arise from opioid use during pregnancy include fetal growth restriction, abruptio plancentae, fetal death, preterm labor, and intrauterine passage of meconium. These symptoms are most likely the result of withdrawal symptoms on the mother of fetus. These risks are most pronounced with heroin use but can also be present in the abuse of prescription drugs during pregnancy. There are treatment options available and the most common is maintenance therapy where a prescription opiate is given in controlled doses to keep the concentration of opiates in the blood serum at a constant level. During opiate abuse the levels of the drug in the blood serum fluctuate going from a very strong concentration during the initial use and decreasing steadily as time passes, this creates withdrawal symptoms where the body has become used to operating with high levels of the drug and can’t function properly when the drug is no longer in the system, this usually leads to more of the drug being taken and a rapid influx of opiate back into the blood stream. In pregnancy, this constant change of opiate …show more content…
The alternative to methadone treatment is buprenorphine which does not require going to a licensed treatment program and can instead be carried out in an office-based setting. Buprenorphine is advantageous in that daily visits to a licensed treatment facility aren’t required however there have been more cases of dropout due to dissatisfaction, and an increased risk of diversion. There are two versions of the medication and the single drug formula has a higher risk for diversion, such as sale or sharing of medication, than the combined formula. The combined formula is a combination of the buprenorphine and naloxone but is not recommended in pregnancy due to risk of fetal exposure to the naloxone. The reason for diversion from treatment with the single product is that it has a stronger effect and can lead to abuse and also has a higher street value, thus the treatment may be an inappropriate option for those who require a more strictly monitored and structured treatment plan. During labor the methadone or buprenorphine

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