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Tussionex Pennkinetic Blog

Blog (11)

Kids Most Likely to Start Abusing Painkillers at 16: Study

Posted 7 May 2012 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, May 7 – Among U.S. adolescents, misuse of prescription painkillers peaks at age 16, earlier than thought, a new large survey analysis reveals. "What our findings suggest is that if we wait until the last year of high school or college to take some kind of action that could prevent the misuse of opioid painkillers, it'll be a case of too little, too late," cautioned study co-author James Anthony, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics in the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at Michigan State University in East Lansing. Many experts consider "extramedical" painkiller abuse – taking pain drugs such as OxyContin (oxycodone) and Vicodin (hydrocodone) to get high rather than to relieve extreme pain – the country's most serious drug challenge. Some kids had already misused these drugs by age 13 or 14, or eighth grade, the researchers found. Anthony and his ... Read more

Related support groups: Pain, Suboxone, Methadone, Oxycodone, Percocet, OxyContin, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Morphine, Norco, Fentanyl, Lortab, Subutex, Opana, Codeine

Limit Cold Medications During Pregnancy, Experts Advise

Posted 21 Dec 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 – It's prudent to limit the use of over-the-counter cold and flu medications during pregnancy, experts say. This is because some medications may contain substances that are potentially harmful to developing fetuses, or that have not been well-studied for use in pregnant women. "Every year around this time, we get a significant number of calls from pregnant and breast-feeding women in California who are battling colds and are worried about which meds they can and can't take," said Christina Chambers, professor of pediatrics at University of California, San Diego and program director at the California Teratogen Information Service. To help expectant mothers who are sick this holiday season, Chambers offered these cold medicine safety tips: Take as little as possible. Over-the-counter cold remedies could contain up to six ingredients for a wide array of symptoms, such ... Read more

Health Tip: Alcohol Can Interact With Medications

Posted 25 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

-- Over-the-counter medications may seem safer because they don't require a prescription. But they can still interact badly when alcohol enters the mix. The American Academy of Family Physicians mentions these popular medications that may have adverse effects if mixed with alcohol: NSAID pain relievers, which may lead to gastrointestinal bleeding if taken while consuming as few as two alcoholic drink per week. Acetaminophen, which may cause liver damage when taken with alcohol. Some OTC antihistamines can make you drowsy when taken with alcohol. Decongestants and cough medications that contain the cough suppressant dextromethorphan can increase drowsiness when taken with alcohol. Herbal supplements, such as kava kava, St. John's wort or valerian root, may increase drowsiness if taken with alcohol. Read more

Surge in Number of Americans Treated for Prescription Painkiller Abuse

Posted 23 Jun 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, June 23 – Rehab admissions related to alcohol, opiates (including prescription painkillers) and marijuana increased in the United States between 1999 and 2009, according to a new national report. However, fewer people sought treatment for problems with cocaine and methamphetamine or amphetamines, the researchers noted. One of the most staggering increases over the 10-year study period: opiate admissions, mostly due to use of prescription opioids, which include painkillers such as oxycodone (Oxycontin) or Vicodin (hydrocodone). The findings showed that 96 percent of the nearly 2 million admissions to treatment facilities that occurred in 2009 were related to alcohol (42 percent), opiates (21 percent), marijuana (18 percent), cocaine (9 percent) and methamphetamine/amphetamines (6 percent). The report from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ... Read more

Related support groups: Pain, Suboxone, Methadone, Oxycodone, Percocet, OxyContin, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Adderall, Morphine, Norco, Fentanyl, Lortab, Subutex, Codeine

FDA Bans Unapproved Prescription Cough, Cold and Allergy Meds

Posted 2 Mar 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, March 2 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that it plans to remove about 500 unapproved prescription cough, cold, and allergy medicines from pharmacy shelves. These drugs have not been evaluated by the FDA for safety and effectiveness, and they may be riskier to take than approved over-the-counter (OTC) drugs that treat these same conditions, agency officials explained. "This action is necessary to protect consumers from the potential risks posed by unapproved drugs, because we don't know what's in them, whether they work properly or how they are made," Deborah M. Autor, director of the agency's Office of Compliance at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said during a morning news conference. Of particular concern are drugs that have time-release formulations, Autor said. "We know from experience that these type of products are complicated to ... Read more

CDC Links Prescription Painkillers in Pregnancy to Birth Defects

Posted 2 Mar 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, March 2 – Moms-to-be who take prescription opioid painkillers such as codeine, hydrocodone or oxycodone (Oxycontin) may increase the risk of birth defects in their newborns, according to a new U.S. government report. Taking these types of analgesics just prior to pregnancy or in the early stages of pregnancy was linked to a modest risk of congenital heart defects in an ongoing population study, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The risk for spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis was also heightened, the report said. "Women who are pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant, should know there are risks associated with using prescription painkillers," said CDC Director Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, in an agency news release. "They should only take medications that are essential, in consultation with their health care ... Read more

Parents Still Giving Cough, Cold Meds to Kids Under 2: Poll

Posted 16 Feb 2011 by Drugs.com

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 16 – Many American parents of children aged 2 and younger still give over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to their kids despite U.S. Food and Drug Administration warnings to the contrary, researchers have found. In response to research linking over-the-counter (or OTC) cough and cold medicines to poisoning or death in hundreds of children ages 2 years and younger, the FDA said in 2008 that the products should not be given to children in this age group. In addition, studies have shown that these medicines have little benefit in controlling symptoms. A new national poll of over 300 parents of children ages 6 months to 2 years found that 61 percent of parents gave OTC cough and cold medicines to their children within the last 12 months. In addition, more than half of the parents said their child's doctor said the medicines are safe for children under 2 years, and ... Read more

Oxycontin, Other Opioid Painkillers Tied to Higher Health Risks

Posted 13 Dec 2010 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Dec. 13 – Two new studies suggest that Medicare patients who take opioid painkillers such as codeine, Vicodin or Oxycontin face higher health risks, including death, heart problems or fractures, compared to those taking non-opioid analgesics. However, it's not clear if the painkillers are directly responsible for the differences in risk, experts said, and other factors could play a role. And one pain specialist who's familiar with the findings said they don't reflect the experiences of doctors who've prescribed the drugs. In one study, researchers examined a database of Medicare recipients in two states who were prescribed one of five kinds of opiod painkillers from 1996-2005. They looked at almost 6,300 patients who took one of these five painkillers: codeine phosphate, hydrocodone bitartrate (best known in its Vicodin form), oxycodone hydrochloride (Oxycontin), propoxyphene ... Read more

Oxycontin Abusers Often Rely on 'Leftover' Meds From Friends

Posted 18 Feb 2010 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Feb. 18 – Almost all people who illegally use or abuse opioid painkillers such as Oxycontin or Vicodin get the drugs from a friend or relative who had a prescription, a new report shows. In the study, which involved a 2008 survey of more than 5,300 Utah adults, almost 2 percent of respondents said they had taken an opioid pain medicine not prescribed to them over the past year. Ninety-seven percent of the time, the drug came from a friend or relative, and in most cases the drug was handed over willingly. The study is published in the Feb. 19 issue of the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Many Utah residents do have at least one prescription for opioid painkillers, according to the Utah Department of Health researchers. "We found that one in five patients are prescribed opioids and the majority of those have leftover ... Read more

Overdoses From Prescription Painkillers on the Rise

Posted 19 Jan 2010 by Drugs.com

TUESDAY, Jan. 19 – Overdoses from prescription painkillers are increasing in the United States, a new study shows. Researchers examined pharmacy files on 9,940 adults who took opioids such as oxycodone and hydrocodone for at least three months between 1997 and 2005. The patients, who were insured and members of the Group Health Cooperative in Washington, were prescribed the drugs for chronic pain due to non-cancer causes, including conditions of the back or neck, headaches, jaw pain, pain in the extremities, arthritis and menstrual pain or injuries. Fifty-one patients overdosed on the drugs; six of the overdoses were fatal, the researchers found. The risk of overdosing increased with the amount of drug prescribed, according to the study. Those given higher doses had nearly nine times the chance of overdosing as those given lower doses of opioids. "The rate of overdose was strongly ... Read more

Related support groups: Methadone, Oxycodone, Percocet, OxyContin, Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Morphine, Norco, Lortab, Codeine, Roxicodone, MS Contin, Diskets, Endocet, Kadian

One in 10 High School Seniors Have Used Narcotic Painkillers

Posted 16 Dec 2009 by Drugs.com

MONDAY, Aug. 3 – Pain relief isn't the main reason why one in 10 high school seniors have tried opioid drugs, a new United States study finds. The most common reasons included relaxation, feeling good or getting high, experimentation and then pain relief. Students used drugs such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, morphine and codeine without a prescription, researchers say. "The results of this study provide compelling evidence that adolescents have a wide range of motives for using prescription opioids non-medically, and these motives should be carefully considered in efforts to reduce this behavior," said study author Sean Esteban McCabe, a research associate professor at the Substance Abuse Research Center of the University of Michigan. Other studies have found many adolescents get opioids from their own previous prescriptions, McCabe said. "These results suggest ... Read more

FDA Medwatch Alert: Long-Acting Hydrocodone-Containing Cough Product (marketed as Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension)

Posted 11 Mar 2008 by Drugs.com

[Posted 03/11/2008] FDA informed healthcare professionals of life-threatening adverse events and death in patients, including children, who have received Tussionex Pennkinetic Extended-Release Suspension (Tussionex). The reports indicate that healthcare professionals have prescribed Tussionex for patients younger than the approved age group of 6 years old and older, and more frequently than the labeled dosing interval of every 12 hours. Tussionex is contraindicated for use in patients less than 6 years of age because of their susceptibility to life-threatening and fatal respiratory depression.Patients have administered the incorrect dose due to misinterpretation of the dosing directions, and have used inappropriate devices to measure the suspension. Overdose of Tussionex in older children, adolescents, and adults has also been associated with life-threatening and fatal respiratory ... Read more