Hydrocodone Research Paper

Hydrocodone
Angela Green
Kaplan University

Hydrocodone was first introduced in 1920 by a German pharmaceutical company and was thought to be easier on the stomach. During this time thousands of people were having growing opium problems and needed the help of hydrocodone. “Hydrocodone is derived from codeine as a semi-synthetic opioid and it is most often used orally as a narcotic.” (https://wiki.tripsit.me/wiki/Hydrocodone). It is used to relieve moderate to severe pain and coughing. “In both cases, hydrocodone helps the patient by going straight to the brain and changing the way it responds to things.” (http://www.hydrocodonehelp.com/history-of-hydrocodone). FDA first approved hydrocodone for use as an cough
It is also the most abused prescription drug, showing up in 40-50% of the prescription drug abuse cases worked by law enforcement agencies.” (http://web1.caryacademy.org/facultywebs/gray_rushin/StudentProjects/CompoundWebSites/2009/Hydrocodone/general.htm). “The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that enough hydrocodone is prescribed for every U.S. adult to receive 5 mg every 4 hours for a month.” (www.painmed.org/.../hydrocodone). Typical abusers usually take 15-20 pills a day and some people take up to even 40-50. Common side effects include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, drowsiness, constipation, vomiting, and euphoria. Overdose can produce respiratory depression, coma, and cardiac arrest, in addition to other events. More people are dying from prescription drug over doses than vehicle accidents. DEA is limiting the amount of pills they give to pharmacies and patients to try and cut down on the amount of overdoses. The agency has recently reclassified hydrocodone from a Schedule III drug to a Schedule II drug which means it is more addictive. Doctor are only allowed to prescribe a certain amount a month now and they have to come back for a prescription you can’t call over the phone
Of those 17 million individuals, more than 8 million reported using hydrocodone in the past year. “(http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/E7-19340.htm). “Hydrocodone took the place of many codeine prescriptions that used to be written. Now there are more than 139 million prescriptions written each year for medications that contain hydrocodone.” (http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html). “Each year in the US, an estimated five million people abuse pain relievers. Some people will abuse them once and some people will abuse them enough that cravings kick in and drive further use. On the other hand, some people will use them legitimately and then find that they like how the drugs made them feel. This will lead to overuse of the drug and eventual addiction.” (http://www.narconon.org/drug-abuse/hydrocodone-abuse.html). It’s amazing to me to see how many people are addicted to pain pills that you wouldn’t even know about. To them it’s a normal routine and they see nothing wrong with it because it was prescribed by a doctor. Hydrocodone can be sold on the streets from $4-8$ depending on where you live and the demand of the pill. Overdoses have tripled in just 10 years and no matter what happens people who are addicted to the drug will find a way to get