The success of any health treatment depends on mutual trust and honesty in the patient/doctor relationship. It also calls for a full understanding of the benefits and risks posed by the prescribed treatment.
In modern medicine, controlled substances are crucial in managing various medical conditions. From pain relief to hormone replacement therapy, these medications offer significant benefits.
The National Cancer Institute defines a controlled substance as any substance or drug that the federal government tightly controls because it can be abused. The control extends to how the drug is made, handled, used, distributed, or stored.
Controlled substances include stimulants, opioids, hallucinogens, depressants, and anabolic steroids. For those with medical use, individuals can only access them by getting a prescription from a licensed medical professional.
Currently, these substances fall under the following categories:
• Schedule I: These are chemicals, substances, or drugs that have a high potential for abuse and presently lack an accepted medical use. Examples of these include peyote, heroin, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy), and LSD.
• Schedule II: It refers to substances that have a high potential for abuse and whose use can possibly lead to severe physical or psychological dependence. Schedule II chemicals are deemed dangerous and include oxycodone and Adderall.
• Schedule III-V: They’re defined as drugs with a low to moderate probability of psychological and physical dependence. Their abuse potential is low compared to those of the first two groups. Examples include testosterone used for TRT and Xanax.
Several types of prescription-controlled substances are used to treat a variety of conditions. Their benefits include the following:
• Effective pain management: One of the reasons people seek professional medical care is to get pain relief. While there exist many different types of pain medications, opioid analgesics are FDA-approved and are commonly used to treat moderate to severe pain. For this reason, they’re a common choice for patients with neurologic, cancer-related, acute, and end-of-life pain. The CDC has provided detailed guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain management.
• Anxiety and sleep disorders: Professionals in the medical industry frequently prescribe controlled substances to patients who have insomnia, muscle spasms, stress reactions, and sleep disorders. In such cases, opioid therapy can begin on a trial basis for a pre-defined period, not lasting more than 30 days. Additionally, the treating physician should ensure they have established the treatment goals before beginning the therapy.
• Hormone replacement therapy: The benefits of taking hormone replacement therapy among people who take prescription-controlled substances can be credited to the mood-enhancing effects of estrogen. This therapy can be considered for certain peri and postmenopausal women who may be taking SSRIs. However, one interesting question remains, “is testosterone cypionate a controlled substance?” The answer is that testosterone is a Schedule III controlled substance and is prescribed to men with low testosterone levels. It can help enhance energy levels, mood, well-being, and more.
• ADHD treatment: Healthcare providers typically use stimulants to help treat ADHD. But despite their name, these substances don’t work by increasing your stimulation. Instead, they function by enhancing the levels of neurotransmitters inside the brain. These chemicals, such as norepinephrine and dopamine, play crucial roles in your ability to think, pay attention, and remain motivated. Studies show that close to 80% of individuals with ADHD experience fewer symptoms after finding the correct testosterone cypionate dosage.
While they have their benefits, the prescription of controlled substances can also pose several risks and health complications. Some of these include the following:
• Addiction and dependence: Prescription drug abuse occurs when you take a drug for a reason other than why the medical professional prescribed it. Abusing opioids and stimulants can change how the brain functions, thus affecting your ability to make informed decisions. Additionally, you’re likely to experience an intense urge to take even more of these substances.
• Side effects: The prescription of controlled substances can bring with it numerous side effects, such as nausea, constipation, sleepiness, difficulty in thinking, and vomiting.
• Tolerance: Drug tolerance can pose a challenge when treating certain conditions, such as chronic pain. When your body develops tolerance, your healthcare provider must start looking into new ways of managing your symptoms. Some of the risks that come with developing drug tolerance include unintentional medication errors, addiction, the need for higher doses, and the likely flare-up or relapse of a condition.
• Legal and ethical issues: The prescription of controlled substances may raise several legal and ethical issues, such as the impact on quality care and potential harm to patients. Therefore, all healthcare providers need to be mindful of apt patient assessment and treatment planning. This will include the possibility of diversion and use disorder.
A common concern of many patients is how efficiently a healthcare professional treats their anxiety, pain, and sleep disorders. The healthcare team, comprised of nurses, pharmacists, and physicians, must work together to appropriately assess and address the patient’s concerns. If the prescription of controlled substances is the way to go, they need to make sure that the patient understands its benefits and risks. They need to know that these substances can help manage their pain and sleep disorders but can also lead to dependence and tolerance if misused.
