Rx Drug Abuse: Common and Dangerous
Rx Drug Abuse: Common and Dangerous
What are the most abused prescription drugs, and what are the risks?
If adolescents have a personal or family history of psychiatric problems, steroid abuse makes them especially vulnerable to behavioral or emotional problems, he adds. Such a psychiatric history would include alcohol or drug addiction, violent or criminal behavior, and bipolar disorder, among others, Dimeff says. "That's what I worry about the most. You give them something intense, and you can put them over the edge."
Some athletes may also abuse erythropoietin (a drug that doctors use to treat anemia, also known as Epogen and Procrit) to boost production of red blood cells. Athletes hope that the increased numbers of red blood cells will deliver more oxygen to muscles and improve endurance. Erythropoietin abuse can alter the body's regulation of red blood cell production. Once the drug is stopped, the number of red blood cells may drop suddenly.
Human growth hormone can be abused, too. The brain produces growth hormone to help the body control growth. But growth hormone also comes in drug form to help children grow if their own bodies don't make enough of the hormone. Sometimes athletes abuse growth hormone in an attempt to build muscle and strength while reducing body fat. But long-term abuse carries risks, such as increases in blood fat levels, diabetes, and heart enlargement that may end in heart failure.
Rx Drug Abuse: Common and Dangerous
What are the most abused prescription drugs, and what are the risks?
Steroid Side Effects continued...
If adolescents have a personal or family history of psychiatric problems, steroid abuse makes them especially vulnerable to behavioral or emotional problems, he adds. Such a psychiatric history would include alcohol or drug addiction, violent or criminal behavior, and bipolar disorder, among others, Dimeff says. "That's what I worry about the most. You give them something intense, and you can put them over the edge."
Some athletes may also abuse erythropoietin (a drug that doctors use to treat anemia, also known as Epogen and Procrit) to boost production of red blood cells. Athletes hope that the increased numbers of red blood cells will deliver more oxygen to muscles and improve endurance. Erythropoietin abuse can alter the body's regulation of red blood cell production. Once the drug is stopped, the number of red blood cells may drop suddenly.
Human growth hormone can be abused, too. The brain produces growth hormone to help the body control growth. But growth hormone also comes in drug form to help children grow if their own bodies don't make enough of the hormone. Sometimes athletes abuse growth hormone in an attempt to build muscle and strength while reducing body fat. But long-term abuse carries risks, such as increases in blood fat levels, diabetes, and heart enlargement that may end in heart failure.