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Kentucky News: Pharmacist Recovery Network
Published in the December 2007 Kentucky Board of Pharmacy Newsletter
Intervention: Breaking the Cycle of Dependency
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects 7% of people nationally, and, as health care professionals, we have been trained very well on how to manage this disease state. Conversely, there is another disease state that affects 10% of the population, yet as a whole, we as health care professionals know very little about its treatment. The disease state I am referring to is addiction. Nationwide, one in 10 people suffer from some type of addiction, be it alcohol, illegal drugs, or prescription drugs. If left untreated, both disease states can be equally harmful to a patient or may even be fatal, resulting either as a direct effect or secondary effect of the disease. Yet we are trained very well on how to treat the diabetic patient and very little on how to treat the addicted one. So, why the disparity in the way we look at these diseases? Possibly the stigma of addiction, or the fact that we have far fewer “tools in the bag” when it comes to treating the disease. Both patient groups, diabetics and addicts, suffer from an incurable disease and both deserve our help as health care professionals.
Health care professionals are often confronted by addicts or drug seekers, and have an excellent opportunity to make an impact. One of the difficulties we face is distinguishing between those patients who have an abuse problem and those with an addiction/dependency problem. If a patient is suspected, Kentucky All Schedule Prescription Electronic Reporting (KASPER) is an important tool when screening for prescription drug-related problems. Another useful tool when assessing a patient is the CAGE questions, which follow:
Have you ever felt the need to ♦♦Cut down on your use of prescription drugs?
Have you ever felt ♦♦Annoyed by remarks your friends or loved ones made about your use of prescription drugs?
Have you ever felt ♦♦Guilty or remorseful about your use of prescription drugs?
Have you ♦♦Ever used prescription drugs as a way to “get going” or to “calm down”?
Two affirmative answers to the above questions may indicate a possible drug addiction/dependency, while a single affirmative answer warrants further investigation. Also, watch for potential warning signs, ask frequency and dosage questions, and use clinical judgment.
Once you have determined a person may have a problem, you may take the responsibility to attempt to help the patient. You can help the patient determine the appropriate actions, advise them on the risks of not taking action, and advise them how to go about those actions. Patients should also be referred to a substance abuse specialist or treatment facility; however, health care professionals must be careful when recommending treatment facilities. It would be beneficial to educate the patient and the patient’s family and/or significant other(s) on the nature of addiction, the effectiveness of treatment, and the prospects for recovery. There are some organizations that claim to cure addiction, and while this is the hope of the future, there is no proven cure to date. The addicted individual will need to continue to work in a program of recovery with a strong support system.
For more information, email KYPRN@insightbb.com or phone at 502/749-8385.
