Drug Abuse and Diversion Flashcards
Why are prescription drugs targeted for drug abuse and drug diversion?
Quality, potency, cost, access, trade in value, and less risky.
What are prescribing tips for minimizing drug abuse and diversion?
Use of long acting opioids, prescribing small amounts for short periods only, use of a treatment contract, providing better patient education on the condition, collaboration b/w physicians and pharmacists.
Explain how drug abusers present.
Present to GPs office seeking a particular controlled substance, exploit a legit medical condition to obtain excessive quantities, feign an illness, see practitioners that don’t know them, go to a number of practitioners, present w/ acute withdrawal symptoms, become extremely agitated, tearful or violent.
What are some suspicious features of a drug abuser?
Pinpoint or extremely dilated pupils, dark glasses, droopy eyelids, runny nose/rubbing nose, pale or flushed, itching/scratching, sweating, tremors, rigid movements/muscle cramps, fearful, emotionally volatile/agitated, lethargic, giddy/overly friendly.
Describe how drug diverters present.
Target practitioners who have a reputation for prescribing controlled substances on demand, visit many practitioners in a day, well dressed/groomed, show inordinate interesting in physical layout of office/pharmacy.
What are some suspicious features of a drug abuser?
Refuse/reluctant to present identification, claim to be visiting from another town, telephone request for drugs, appears to be in a hurry, maintains eye contact, well versed in medical terminology, claims allergy to NSAIDs, evasive answers/strange stories, doesn’t return for follow up appointments.
What are some methods of drug diversion?
Prescription forgery, telephone fraud, drug seeking from physicians/dentists/vets, indiscriminate prescribing, theft (internal or external), fraudulent orders fora drug abuser made by a pharmacist.
