The modern world features individuals and homes that are loaded with drugs that can be bought legally. Because of this, addiction is difficult to combat. One of the common illnesses of humans is the presence of pain, like muscle pain. Painkillers are known to be a common drug found inside every home. It follows that one of the common forms of addiction is addiction to types of painkillers. One of them is Percodan. Percodan is a drug that has the potential to be addictive and thus abused by those who become drug dependent. This drug, according to the website on addiction treatment, can strongly transform an individual into a drug addict that abuses this drug. Percodan, which is oxycodone plus aspirin, is a legal drug, issued to patients who need a painkiller for their medical condition (Addiction Treatment Center, 2005). This is the brand of the drug known as oxycodone. Oxycodone and Percodan has been proven to be addictive and subject to abuse. This particular drug is an ideal drug to study when it comes to identification of a drug that can be legal and yet subject to being abused and can trigger addiction among people.
Discussion
History and epidemiology of the drug
Percodan is one of the many brands of the drug collectively identified as oxycodone. There are also other brands of oxycodone. As a drug, Percodan or oxycodone, is a type of analgesic medication that is taken from thebaine which in turn is taken from opium, making this particular kind of drug an opioid. This particular kind of drug has been identified and created for a long time, as early as the early part of the twentieth century, particularly in Germany during 1916 as a result of the efforts of medical professionals to improve existing drugs at the time. Today, Percodan and oxycodone have been a cause of problem regarding drug addiction for nearly a decade now (Urell, 2010).
Pharmacology How Percodanoxycodone work in the system
Percodan, in particular is taken orally, although there are types of oxycodone drugs that are taken by the patient in other forms and in other approaches. The impact on the body is often similar with one another. When ingested or introduced inside the body, it needs an hour to reach peak plasma levels. Once inside the body and broken down, the content of the drug spreads around the body, reaching different body parts and organs like the brain and the liver, as well as other parts like the skeletal muscle, among others (Addiction Treatment Center, 2005).
This drug is potent in the sense that its impact can be felt after ten or fifteen minutes after intake. The pain will start to subside during that time. After metabolism, this drug transforms into oxycodol, followed by a long string of metabolism processes which eventually end up to the transformation to noroxymorphone. The responsible for the metabolism is found in the liver, an enzyme called cytochrome P450. By urinating and sweating, the body gets rid of it and its metabolites. The ability of this drug to remove the feeling of pain is one of the reasons why it is abused by drug users, because the feeling without physical pain is addictive to, which then lends the individual to be addicted to the drug, sooner or later (Addiction Treatment Center, 2005).
Growth, manufacture, transport and marketing
The natural and organic components of the drug are derived from sources that are, by law, authorized to grow these particular plants. The chemical components are created or synthesized in pharmaceutical laboratories of the company that produces the drug. Many companies have undertaken the manufacturing of the drug. To ensure that everything that is created are sent out for sale and are audited, transport of this drug is protected by the company. Certain protocols are put in place to make sure that the drugs are protected during transport. There is no chance that it will be sold illegally or stolen during transport, or even tampered. Since this is a legal drug, marketing efforts for the oxycodone and Percodan are similar to how other legal drugs and other consumer products in general are being marketed.
The dosage, expected effects, side effects and potential for overdose
The drug is expected to relieve pain. Because it can be taken orally, there is a chance that the patient can overdose himself or herself if the individual wanted to. This particular drug also has many different side effects. It can make the patient constipated. It can make the patient feel fatigued while some may experience spells of dizziness and even nausea. Some patients complain that the drug results in having a dry mouth later on, while other claim that this has caused their vision to blur or be dimmed.
Addiction for this particular drug starts with the incorrect dosage intake. Enjoying the effect it has, the patient goes for more to repeat the experience. This drug is also believed to have an effect similar to the feeling of euphoria. There are side effects on normal intake as prescribed by the doctor. The side effects when this drug is involved in addiction and abuse, and when undetected, unchecked and intervention does not come on time the worst side effect can be death, especially during cases of overdose.
Treatments for rehabilitation
Like other cases of drug abuse and addiction, the addiction and abuse of Percodan and oxycodone can be treated. Rehabilitation is still possible. Some approaches to rehabilitation include the use of facilities used for rehabilitation which include medical intervention as well as counseling that psychologists offer patients who are being rehabilitated from Percodan and oxycodone addiction and abuse. There are also popular detox programs for recovering addicts in this particular drug, like the 12-step recovery program, for example. Other drastic rehabilitation and cure involves drug intervention like the use of anesthesia. An example of this is the Waismann Method of Rapid Detoxification.
Conclusion
The government should take the necessary adjustments to combat drug addiction. Drugs that are supposed to help people do not act as sources of temptations for individuals to be addicted to a drug or to abuse the drug. Percodan, and the drug names for oxycodone, is considered as one of the drugs that has been the target of drug abuse patients and drug addicts in the past few years. For this number to stop increasing and start decreasing, campaigns should be undertaken to remedy the problem regarding addiction for this particular type of drug. At the same time, the rehabilitation of addicts for this drug should be strengthened so that many people can be helped into turning over a new leaf after suffering from drug addiction with Percodan and the drug oxycodone.
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