|
|
| Prescribed opioids linked to depression and anxiety |
|
|
|
|
A re-analysis of research looking at how the healthcare system works for people with alcohol and drug problems and mental illnesses finds that common psychiatric disorders are more strongly linked to prescription painkillers than to illegal drug use.
The analysis was performed by Dr Mark Sullivan and colleagues at the department of psychiatry and behavioural sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle, USA, in conjunction researchers the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. The group performed a secondary analysis of data from the Health Care for Communities survey conducted in 1997-98 to determine the association between psychiatric disorders and self-reported regular use of prescribed opioids within the past year.
The analysis showed that 282 of the 9,279 respondents used prescription opioids on a regular basis, equivalent to 3 per cent of the total. People who had suffered disorders such as major depression, mild depression, generalised anxiety disorder or panic disorder were six times more likely to report regular use of prescription opioid than those without any of these disorders. Those who had an illicit drug problem were four times as likely to use the prescribed opioids.
Looking at the data from another perspective, the investigators found that the presence of a common mental disorder remained a significant predictor of prescription opioid use among people who did not suffer significant pain, but not among those experiencing higher levels of pain.
Dr Sullivan and his team concluded, "Depressive, anxiety and drug abuse disorders are associated with increased use of regular opioids in the general population." They added that depressive and anxiety disorders are more common and more strongly associated with taking these prescribed morphine-like drugs than illicit drug abuse.
|
About The Author:
Reference
Sullivan MD et al, Pain, published online 16/11/05
(c)2005 Global News Services Ltd
http://www.cnsforum.com/ |
|
|
|
|
| No Feedback Yet. |
| Login using the form on the top of the page to post feedback if you have registered with TxDirector. If you have not yet registered, click here. Registration is free. |
|
Related Links
|
|
|
|
| About These Links: The links above are dynamically generated. Some links may be more relevant than others. |
|
 |
|
|
 |
© 2005 TxDirector.com - Maintained by Lanstat Incorporated - Design by Cumuli Design
Page Load Time: 0.113 secs
|
|
Disclaimer: TxDirector.com cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site. TxDirector.com has no control of how you may use information you get from this site and does not attest to the validity of any information found within. Much of this information comes from third parties (newsletter readers and other contributors). Use advice found in our newsletters and on our site with common sense and at your own risk. If you see something in our newsletters or on our site that you disagree with, please let us know. Our goal is print only valuable information and advice. If you find any information on TxDirector.com or in our newsletters that is either erroneous and/or potentially harmful to others, please Contact Us, immediately.
|
|
|
