ImageThe most commonly misused or abused prescriptions among older adults drugs fall into two categories:

Narcotic painkillers - or opioids, are commonly prescribed to relieve severe pain. Some of the more common prescription painkillers are:


OxyContin® / Oxycodone; Street Names: oxy 80s, oxycotton, oxycet, O.C., killer,  hillbilly heroin, percs
Vicodin® / Hydrocodone;  Street Names: vike, Watson-387
Dilaudid® /  Propoxyphene hydrocodone hydromorphone; Street Names: juice, dillies
Demerol® / Meperidine; Street Names: demmies, painkiller
Lomotil® / Diphenoxylate
Darvon® / Propoxyphene
Morphine
Codeine

With proper medical management, narcotic painkillers are safe and rarely cause addiction. When abused, however, these drugs cause symptoms similar to those of heroin — a surge of euphoria followed by alternating wakefulness and drowsiness, and cloudy mental thinking due to depression of the central nervous system.

Withdrawal from narcotic painkillers produces drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea and vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps (“cold turkey”), kicking movements and other symptoms. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose and subside after about a week. Opioids are often associated with addiction and fatal overdose.

Central nervous system (CNS) depressants - can be helpful for someone suffering from anxiety or a sleep disorder. CNS depressants slow normal brain function by decreasing brain activity. But when these drugs are misused, they can be addictive and even deadly. Sometimes, prescribed doses of CNS depressants may be inappropriately high for older adults because their bodies don’t metabolize the drugs efficiently. This causes problems to occur more quickly. Common CNS depressants include:

Benzodiazepines: Valium®/ Diazepam; Xanax® / Alprazolam;
Barbiturates: Nembutal® / Pentobarbital sodium
Sleep medications: Ambien® / Zolpidem; Sonata® / Zaleplon; and Lunesta® / Eszopiclone

Since these types of medications can make people feel and sleep better, it may encourage misuse. CNS depressants shouldn’t be combined with other medications or substances that cause sleepiness such as alcohol, prescription pain medication or some over-the-counter allergy and cold medications. Doing so can slow the heart rate and respiration, which can be fatal.