Posts Tagged ‘Testing’

Trust Your Teen Guidebook and 12 Panel Drug Testing Cup System. Tests for 12 drugs including THC, Cocaine, Meth, OPI, AMP, and More

• Not Just a Drug Testing Kit, but a complete program.
• Simple, hygienic procedure (no pipettes or dipstick)
• Easy to use
• Includes temperature strip
• Meets all SAMHSA standards for urine drug testing

Product DescriptionTrust Your Teen Test Cup
Information

Test for the 12 most common drugs of abuse

Panel includes prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and Xanax

Up to 99% accuracy

Results in 5 minutes

Simple, hygienic procedure (no pipettes or dipstick)

Storage at room temperature

Shelf life up to 18 months from date of manufacture

Includes temperature strip

Small sample volume (30 mL)

Meets all SAMHSA standards for urine drug testing
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Trust Your Teen Guide
Information

The first ever, comprehensive guidebook for home drug testing written by substance abuse professionals for parents
Prevent drug use before it starts
Easy to understand
Includes information on all common drugs of abuse
Early signs and symptoms of teen drug use
How to talk to your teen, administer, and interpret home drug tests
The Magic 5 minutes
When to seek substance abuse treatment
Color inserts demonstrate test results and prescription pill identification

Trust Your Teen Guidebook and 12 Panel Drug Testing Cup System. Tests for 12 drugs including THC, Cocaine, Meth, OPI, AMP, and More

Demerol: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing

Demerol is the trade name of Pethidine / meperidine which is a fast-acting opioid analgesic drug used to treat pain. In the United States and Canada, Pethidine or meperidine is more commonly known by its brand name Demerol whereas in many parts of the world, it is also known as isonipecaine; lidol; pethanol; piridosal; Algil; Alodan; Centralgin; Demerol; Dispadol & Dolantin etc.

Chemically, Demerol is 4-Piperidinecarboxylic acid, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-ethyl ester hydrochloride.

Demerol Prescription, Dosage & Administration:

Demerol, a narcotic analgesic, is prescribed for the relief of moderate to severe pain. Dosage is adjusted by physician according to the severity of the pain and the response of the patient. The oral solution is often a pleasant-tasting, nonalcoholic solution containing 50 mg of meperidine hydrochloride per 5ml teaspoon. The tablets usually contain 50 mg or 100 mg of the analgesic. It is delivered as its hydrochloride salt in tablets, as a syrup, or by intramuscular or intravenous injection although it is less effective orally than on parenteral administration (as by intramuscular or intravenous injection).

Demerol Abuse:

Demerol contains meperidine, a mu-agonist opioid with an abuse liability similar to morphine and is a controlled substance. Abuse of Demerol poses a risk of overdose and death. This risk is increased with concurrent abuse of Demerol with alcohol and other substances. Intramuscular or intravenous abuse of crushed tablets can be expected to result in local tissue necrosis, infection, pulmonary granulomas, and increased risk of endocarditis and valvular heart disease. In addition, such sort of drug abuse is commonly associated with transmission of infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV.

Effects of Demerol Abuse:

The major hazards of Demerol, as with other narcotic analgesics, are respiratory depression and to a lesser degree, circulatory depression; respiratory arrest, shock, and cardiac arrest etc.

The most frequently observed adverse reactions include lightheadedness, dizziness, sedation, vomiting, nausea, & sweating. These effects seem to be more prominent in ambulatory patients and in those who are not experiencing severe pain. In such individuals, lower doses are advisable. Some adverse reactions in ambulatory patients may be alleviated if the patient lies down.

Miscellaneous:

There is a category of drugs called MAO Inhibitors. Drugs in this category include the antidepressants phenelzine & tranylcypromine. If you are taking these antidepressants or have used them in last 2-3 weeks, inform your physician well in advance because when taken with Demerol, these MAO Inhibitors can cause unpredictable, severe, & occasionally fatal reactions.

The narcotic antagonist, naloxone hydrochloride, is a specific antidote against respiratory depression which may result from over dosage or unusual sensitivity to narcotics, including meperidine. Therefore, an appropriate dose of this antagonist should be administered, preferably by the intravenous route, simultaneously with efforts at respiratory resuscitation.

Demerol Testing:

A diverse array of techniques is available to test for drug abuse and Demerol or Pethidine/meperidine containing compounds are no exception. As with other drugs, some amount of Pethidine/meperidine remains unchanged while rest of it forms different metabolites.

These unchanged Pethidine or meperidine compounds and their metabolized products can be detected using any of the following methods:

?Urine based Pethidine/meperidine/metabolite testing

?Hair follicle based Pethidine/meperidine/metabolite detection

?GC based Pethidine/meperidine/metabolite detection

?Mass spec based Pethidine/meperidine/metabolite testing

?Pethidine/meperidine/metabolite-specific antibody based diagnostic kits

Codeine: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing

Introduction:

Codeine or methylmorphine is an opiate used for its analgesic, antitussive and antidiarrheal properties. It is marketed as the salts codeine sulfate and codeine phosphate. Codeine hydrochloride is more commonly marketed in continental Europe and other regions.

Codeine is an alkaloid found in opium in concentrations ranging from 0. 3 to 3. 0 percent. While codeine can be extracted from opium, most codeine is synthesized from morphine through the process of O-methylation. The chemical name of codeine phosphate is 7,8-Didehydro-4,5alpha-epoxy-3-methoxy-17-methyl morphinan-6alpha-ol phosphate (1:1) (salt) hemi-hydrate.

Codeine Dosage & Administration:

Each soluble tablet contains 30 mg (0. 074 mmol) or 60 mg (0. 15 mmol) of codeine phosphate. Codeine is safe at dosage from 10-60mg at once. However, when Codeine is used recreationally it is between 60mg to 400 mg in one shot. If an individual uses more than 400 mg in one shot, it exceeds the amount of drug the liver can metabolize at once which means that it will be wasted. Codeine is usually taken orally, rectally (via the anus) and is also given as a shot. It is never, however, be snorted, smoked or injected intravenously.

Codeine Prescription:

Codeine is medically prescribed for the relief of moderate pain and cough suppression. It is made into tablets either alone or in combination with aspirin or acetaminophen (i. e. , Tylenol with Codeine,). As a cough suppressant, codeine is found in a number of liquid preparations. Codeine is also used to a lesser extent as an injectable solution for the treatment of pain.

Codeine Abuse:

Codeine products are largely diverted from legitimate sources to the illicit market where it forms the daily dose of a large chunk of drug abusers. Prescription drug abuse involves multi-billion dollar market in the US alone and codeine is a significant ?contributor? to it!

Euphoric effects associated with opiates are one of the major reasons for wide spread codeine usage. Easy availability of codeine further promotes its use for recreational purposes. Codeine can be obtained either over the counter in low doses or through prescription combination drugs.

Effects of Codeine Abuse:

Just like any other prescription drug abuse, Codeine abuse is largely reflected in the physiological state of health of a drug abuser. There are many common adverse drug reactions that are associated with the use of codeine. These include – euphoria, itching, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, dry mouth, miosis (pupil shortening), orthostatic hypotension, urinary retention and constipation. Compared to morphine, codeine produces less analgesia, sedation, and respiratory depression, and is usually taken orally. However, as with most other drugs, prolonged use of codeine results in development of tolerance to many of its effects and thus, abuser also becomes tolerant to its therapeutic effects.

Prescription Laws:

In the United States, Codiene is regulated by the Controlled Substances Act. It is a controlled substance for pain-relief products containing codeine alone or more than 90 mg per dosage unit. Preparations for cough or diarrhea containing small amounts of codeine in combination with two or more other active ingredients may be dispensed in amounts up to 4 fl. oz. per 48 hours without a prescription. In locales where dilute codeine preparations are non-prescription, anywhere from very few to perhaps a moderate percentage of pharmacists will sell these preparations without a prescription.

Codeine Testing:

There is diverse array of techniques available to test for drug abuse and codeine is no exception. It can be detected using any of the following methods:

?Urine based codeine testing

?Hair follicle based Codeine detection

?Gas Chromatography based Codeine detection

?Mass spectrometry based Codeine testing

?Codeine-specific Antibody based detection kits

Most of the codeine is excreted within 24 hours. However, 5% to 15% of codeine remains unchanged and some part may also exist as a product of glucuronide conjugates of codeine and its metabolites which may be detected by above said methods.

Hydrocodone: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing

Hydrocodone or dihydrocodeinone is a semi-synthetic opioid derived from two of the naturally occurring opiates, codeine and thebaine.

Hydrocodone Prescription, Dosage & Administration:

Hydrocodone is an orally active, narcotic analgesic and antitussive. Being a narcotic analgesic, it is prescribed for the relief of moderate to severe pain & being a antitussive, it is prescribed as a medicine used to suppress or relieve coughing.

Hydrocodone comes both as a tablet and also in liquid form & thus can easily be taken orally. 5 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 30 mg of codeine when administered orally. Earlier hydrocodone and morphine were considered equipotent for pain control in humans. However, it is now considered that a dose of 15 mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 10 mg of morphine. Hydrocodone is considered to be morphine-like in all respects and thus, final dosage is adjusted by physician according to the severity of the pain and the response of the patient.

Hydrocodone Abuse:Vicodin i. e. hydrocodone in combination with acetaminophen, is a commonly abused version of hydrocodone in United States and Canada. Vicodin, as with all narcotic analgesics, can be habit forming—causing dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal symptoms if not used as it is prescribed. The presence of acetaminophen in hydrocodone-containing products deters many drug users from taking excessive amounts.

Effects of Hydrocodone Abuse:

Some of the common side effects of drug abuse include dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea, drowsiness, euphoria, vomiting, and constipation. Some of the lesser common side effects are various allergic reactions, blood disorders, mood swings, mental fogginess, anxiety, lethargy, difficulty in urinating, ureter spasms, rashes and irregular or depressed respiration etc.

Physical Dependence on Hydrocodone:

Opioid analgesics such as Hydrocodone may cause psychological and physical dependence. Physical dependence results in withdrawal symptoms in patients who abruptly discontinue the drug. Physical dependence usually does not occur to a clinically significant degree until after several weeks of continued opioid usage, but it may occur after as little as a week of opioid use.

Commercial Status in United States:

There are over 200 products containing hydrocodone in the U. S. When sold commercially in the US, hydrocodone is always combined with another medication due to a separate federal regulation. In its most usual forms, hydrocodone is combined with acetaminophen. Such commercial hydrocodone products which are combined with acetaminophen are known by various trademark names such as Vicodin & Lortab. Hydrocodone also can be combined with aspirin (Trade name: Lortab ASA), ibuprofen (Trade name: Vicoprofen), & certain antihistamines (Trade name: Hycomine).

Pure Hydrocodone tablets or capsules are not offered currently by any USA drug company. The cough preparation Codiclear DH is the purest available US hydrocodone item, containing guaifenesin and small amounts of ethanol as active ingredients.

With such a huge number of Hydrocodone containing products, the possibility of misuse and addiction remains substantial. As a result, Sales and production of this drug has increased significantly in recent years & so has its diversion and illicit use. To limit abuse of opioid drugs like Dilaudid it is necessary to properly assess the patient, employ proper prescription practices, periodically re-evaluate the opioid therapy, and properly dispense and store the drugs.

Hydrocodone Testing:

Hydrocodone may not cause a positive result in a standard opiate urine test. Many opiate tests test only for morphine (which both codeine and heroin break down into). This is true for both home/business kits and laboratory testing.

However, there are several specialized home and laboratory testing kits available that specifically detects hydrocodone (& hydromorphone, its metabolic product). So test results usually depend on the particular type of test that is used and whether or not laboratory verification is done. If a home drug test is given and the opiate test shows a positive result (due to hydromorphone use), laboratory verification might not result in a positive test because the lab may only test for morphine.

Vicodin: Prescription Drug Abuse & Testing

Vicodin is a derivative of opium, which also used to manufacture heroin. It is the most widely known brand name for a combination of hydrocodone and acetaminophen. Some of its generic equivalents include brand names Lorcet, Lortab, Norco, Panacet and Zydone.

Vicodin Prescription:

Vicodin is one of the most widely prescribed opiate medications for treatment of moderate to severe pain in injury, illness, surgery or a chronic condition across the globe. Overall, it has been reported as an effective, well tolerated opioid for analgesic purposes. It is quite inexpensive, with a mild side effects profile. It is one of the most favored prescribed pain relievers as allergic reactions are highly unlikely with Vicodin.

Vicodin Abuse:

It is estimated that in 1999, 4 million people were using prescription drugs non-medically and out of these 4 million, 2. 6 million misused pain relievers the most common of which is Vicodin. In 2000, the National Institute on Drug Abuse listed Vicodin as an emerging recreational drug. Its use has risen steadily each year, and has now achieved the status of no longer being emerging. Vicodin has become one of the most commonly abused prescription medications. In 2006, USA Today reported that more emergency room visits are made by Vicodin and other prescription drugs abusers than by all other illicit drug abusers combined.

Effects of Vicodin Abuse:

Some of the common side effects of Vicodin abuse include confusion, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, dizziness, drowsiness, redness of the face, and temporary changes in vision or mood, along with infrequent constipation. These effects can be subdued by drinking a lot of water and consuming fiber rich foods on daily basis.

Over a period of time, effects of Vicodin abuse become more serious and more damaging. There may be cardiac arrhythmia leading to speeding up or slowing down of the heart rate. As Vicodin use grows, its effects can be characterized by blurred vision, hallucinations, and severe confusion.

Vicodin may interact with many other drugs if taken in conjunction, like, various sedatives, tranquilizers, antidepressants, other analgesics, antihistamines, anti-anxiety & anti-spasmodic drugs to name a few. Because of this high potential for drug interactions, it is highly recommended to avoid alcohol, which can increase drowsiness and dizziness, and may cause damage to the liver, and other medications containing acetaminophen.

As with other Opiate drugs, Vicodin withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, muscle pain, bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes, goose bumps, involuntary leg movements, watery eyes, runny nose, loss of appetite, irritability, panic, nausea, chills & sweating to name a few.

Vicodin Testing:

When consumed, some amount of Vicodin remains unchanged in the body while rest of it is metabolized to different secondary products called metabolites. A diverse array of techniques is available nowadays to detect these unchanged Vicodin or Vicodin metabolites, such as:

?Blood sampling for Vicodin/metabolite testing

?Urine based Vicodin/metabolite testing

?Hair follicle based Vicodin/metabolite detection

?GC/MS based Vicodin/metabolite detection

?Vicodin/metabolite-specific antibody based diagnostic kits

GC/MS or Antibody based screening can be done on any of the blood, urine or hair follicle samples. Some companies have also come out with rapid screening kits for home use which can be used without any previous expertise.