Oxycontin

You may have heard of OxyContin because it is one of the most widely prescribed and unfortunately also abused opioid drugs in the U.S. OxyContin is one of the top three drugs that lead to overdoses and deaths in this country, and the drug is front and center when it comes to the attention that’s being given to prescription painkillers in the midst of the opioid epidemic being felt across the country. While the thought of OxyContin can be one that’s scary because there is such a potential for abuse and addiction with this drug, it’s not without therapeutic value. OxyContin is the brand name of the opioid oxycodone, and it’s used to treat pain ranging from moderate to severe that’s chronic in nature. Many opioids are designed to treat pain on an as-needed basis, so a person would take them for acute pain every four to six hours or whenever they felt they needed them. With OxyContin, it’s an extended-release medicine. This means that it’s for around-the-clock treatment of pain. OxyContin is meant to release slowly into the system of the user, and keep pain at bay for up to 12 hours. It’s often used in patients who already have a tolerance to other opioids because it is potent. Despite the controlled-release component of OxyContin, people abuse it in many different ways. Often people will crush up or chew up the tablets. When they’re chewed, they may take effect more quickly, and when they’re crushed people can snort them or dissolve them and inject them. This provides a rapid, strong high, but is also incredibly dangerous and can lead to overdose and death.