Types of Prescription Drugs

There are three main types of prescription drugs which are commonly abused. These include opioids, which are commonly prescribed for pain relief, depressants such as barbiturates and benzodiazepines which are prescribed for anxiety or sleep problems, and stimulants which are prescribed for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the sleep disorder narcolepsy, or obesity. The different types of prescription drugs can be effective when they are used properly, but some can be addictive and dangerous when misused or used illicitly. While most Americans take their medications responsibly, as of 2003, an estimated 15 million Americans reported using a prescription drug for nonmedical reasons at least once during the year.

An opioid is a type of prescription drugs that reacts like morphine in the body. Opioids are mainly used for pain relief for medical purposes. These drugs work by binding to opioid receptors in the body, which are found principally in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. This has both the beneficial and undesirable side effects for its user. If opioids are abused the effects and side effects are magnified greatly which could have disastrous consequences. Prescription opioid narcotics include morphine, codeine, hydromorphone, hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, pethidine , methadone, and propoxyphene.

Central Nervous System Depressants are types of prescription drugs which are sometimes referred to as sedatives and tranquilizers. These types of prescription drugs are used in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders. Among the types of prescription drugs which are commonly prescribed for these purposes are barbiturates, such as mephobarbital (Mebaral) and pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal) and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide HCl (Librium), and alprazolam (Xanax). The more sedating benzodiazepines, such as triazolam (Halcion) and estazolam (ProSom) are used to treat sleep disorders. Benzodiazepines are typically not prescribed for long-term use.

Despite their medical uses, barbiturates and benzodiazepines have the potential for abuse and should be used only as prescribed. Continued use of CNS depressants can lead to physical dependence and withdrawal when use is stopped. Withdrawal from CNS depressants is very dangerous, potentially leading to seizures and other harmful consequences. Therefore, individuals considering discontinuing depressant therapy or who are suffering withdrawal from a depressant should speak with a physician or seek medical treatment.

Stimulants are types of prescription drugs which increase alertness, attention, and energy, as well as elevate blood pressure and increase heart rate and respiration. Stimulants have been commonly used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and a variety of other ailments. Their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent in recent years, and the medical use of stimulants has waned greatly. Stimulants are now typically prescribed for the treatment of only a few health conditions, including narcolepsy, ADHD, and depression that has not responded to other treatments.

Stimulants enhance the effects of certain chemicals in the brain, increase blood pressure and heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase blood glucose, and open up the pathways of the respiratory system. The increase in the brain chemical dopamine is associated with a sense of euphoria that can accompany the use of these types of prescription drugs. Because of this, it is possible for individuals to abuse stimulants and become dependent upon or addicted them.