Oxycontin 101

OxyContin is a controlled-release version ofoxycodone. Oxycodone is considered to be aSchedule II controlled substance. This means that it is under the legal control of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the U.S. Department of Justice.

One of the main factors dictating a drug's "schedule," its degree of regulation, is the drug'spotential for abuse. Once a drug is classified as a controlled substance, it becomes subject to a formal system that requires registration, record keeping, distribution restrictions, dispensing limits, manufacturing security and reports to the DEA.

You may be wondering what makes OxyContin a controlled substance. In order to better understand this, let's consider what oxycodone does and how it works.

Oxycodone is anagonist opioid. Opioid agonists are some of the most effective pain relievers available. Unlike other analgesics, opioid agonists have an increasing analgesic effect with increased doses. Meaning that the more you take, the better you feel. Other analgesics, likeaspirinor acetaminophen, have a threshold to their effectiveness. You can see why, particularly for people who suffer chronic pain, a medication like OxyContin can be so beneficial: It can potentially provide up to four times the relief of a non-opioid analgesic, so even the most severe degree of pain can be managed.

Once oxycodone enters the body, it works by stimulating certain opioid receptors that are located throughout the central nervous system, in thebrainand along the spinal cord. When the oxycodone binds to the opioid receptors, a variety of physiologic responses can occur, ranging from pain relief to slowed breathing toeuphoria.

When abused, OxyContin, like other opiates and opioids, can be dangerouslyaddictive.

而不是服用避孕药表示,背影e who abuse OxyContin use other methods of administering the drug. To avoid the controlled-release mechanism, they either chew, snort or inject the medication to get an instant and intense "high." Frequent and repeated use of the drug can cause the user to develop a tolerance to its effects, so larger doses are required to elicit the desired sensation and the abuser gets increasingly addicted to the drug.

For more information on OxyContin, pain relievers, drug abuse and related topics, check out the links on the next page.