Title
Americans use of legal psychiatric and illicit drugs.
Description
This course will dive into the U.S. market of legal psychiatric prescription drugs and illicit drug abuse. According to the Centers for Disease Control, approximately 20% of the United States population suffers from a mental health illness and 15% utilize prescription medications in their disease management. This population is also at higher risk for abusing illicit drugs as a form of self-medicating. The oral health care provider needs to stay current on these medications and their side effects to safely administer treatment. The pharmacology, mechanism of action, side effects, and use of prescription psychiatric medications with a brief overview of the mental illness they are designed to treat will be discussed. Illicit drug statistics, mechanisms of action, side effects, and abuse potential are presented with a focus on the opioid crisis and legalization of marijuana.
Educational Objectives
At the conclusion of this course, the oral health care provider will be able to:
List prescription psychiatric medication and illicit drug statistics in the U.S.
Differentiate between varying mental disorders based on the latest DSM diagnostic criteria.
Understand the pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and mechanisms of action of prescription psychiatric medications and illicit drugs.
Incorporate a risk management protocol for your dental office related to scheduled drugs.