Nonmedical Use of Antihistaminergic Anxiolytics and Other Prescription Drugs among Persons with Opioid Dependence. 2016

Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Lund, Sweden; Malmo Addiction Centre, Malmo, Sweden.

Background. Nonmedical prescription drug use (NMPDU) is an increasing problem, insufficiently studied among people in opioid maintenance treatment (OMT). This study investigates the prevalence of and factors associated with NMPDU for drug classes insufficiently described in opioid-dependent populations, including antihistaminergic anxiolytics and central stimulants. Methods. Study participants were recruited at two OMT clinics in Malmo, Sweden, between October 2014 and December 2015 (N = 73) and interviewed about their use, motivations for use, and acquisition and administration of prescription drugs. Results. The majority of the sample reported lifetime NMPDU: 60% for benzodiazepine-like hypnotics (z-drugs), 21% for pregabalin, 19% for stimulants, and 12%-15% for antihistaminergic anxiolytics. Lower age was associated with nonmedical benzodiazepine use (Adjusted Odds Ratio = 0.89; 95% Confidence Interval = 0.82-0.97). Illicit acquisition was reported by 61% of people using z-drugs, 46% of people using pregabalin, and 38% of people using prescription stimulants, but only by 6-10% of people using antihistaminergic anxiolytics. Conclusions. The substantial nonmedical use of pregabalin, z-drugs, and prescription stimulants found in this study suggests that clinicians should prescribe these drugs with great caution. Nonmedical use of antihistaminergic anxiolytics does not seem to be a clinical issue among people in OMT in a Swedish setting, but we propose future studies to monitor their use.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries

Related Publications

Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
March 2013, Addictive behaviors,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
May 2014, Addictive behaviors,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
November 2019, American journal of preventive medicine,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
October 2019, Addictive behaviors,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
March 2016, The New England journal of medicine,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
March 2016, The New England journal of medicine,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
June 2016, The Journal of clinical psychiatry,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
May 2017, Substance abuse treatment, prevention, and policy,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
April 2021, British journal of clinical pharmacology,
Disa Dahlman, and Tove Abrahamsson, and Alex H Kral, and Anders Hakansson
February 2022, Nordisk alkohol- & narkotikatidskrift : NAT,
Copied contents to your clipboard!