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Regional, national and international datasets: How they improve our understanding of the acute harms associated with prescription medicine misuse
Author(s) -
Wood David M.,
Dargan Paul I.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/bcp.14592
Subject(s) - medical prescription , medicine , prescription drug misuse , psychological intervention , family medicine , alternative medicine , medline , addiction , health care , medical emergency , psychiatry , nursing , opioid , economics , economic growth , opioid use disorder , receptor , pathology , political science , law
Prescription medicine misuse is a significant problem in many areas of the world. Understanding the acute and chronic harms related to misuse of prescription medicines allows healthcare professionals, drug addiction treatment services and legislative authorities to determine what interventions may be beneficial to reduce these harms and protect individuals and society. However, it is difficult to obtain systematic data on the harms associated with prescription medicine misuse because of how patient visits to clinics and hospitals are recorded and coded in regional or national databases. In this review, we discuss how regional, national and international sources of information can help develop a greater understanding of the prevalence and pattern of acute harms related to prescription medicine misuse using data from ambulance attendances, emergency department presentations and poisons information services.