Question

What can happen if someone misuses a prescription medication or takes a medication that isn’t theirs?

Answer 1

If you take drugs not prescribed to you and have an unexpected serious reaction, no one will know what you took, which can delay treatment. Using someone else's prescription drug can lead to overdose and increase your risk of prescription drug use disorder.

Step-by-step explanation:

You might be allergic to the drug or its components. You might have either liver or kidney dysfunction and not be able to eliminate the medication properly, allowing it to build up to toxic levels. You might need to take other drugs along with it to prevent side effects.

Short-term effects can range from changes in appetite, wakefulness, heart rate, blood pressure, and/or mood to heart attack, stroke, psychosis, overdose, and even death. These health effects may occur after just one use.

Answer 2

Like all drug abuse, using prescription drugs for the wrong reasons has serious risks for a person's health. Opioid abuse can lead to vomiting, mood changes, decrease in ability to think (cognitive function), and even decreased respiratory function, coma, or death. If you take drugs not prescribed to you and have an unexpected serious reaction, no one will know what you took, which can delay treatment. Using someone else's prescription drug can lead to overdose and increase your risk of prescription drug use disorder.