Prescription drug use and abuse. Risk factors, red flags, and prevention strategies.

When a patient is in physical or emotional pain, prescribing controlled substances often appears to be the simplest and most efficient way to relieve suffering and distress. However, in a minority of cases, this approach leads to prescription drug abuse and patient harm. In this article, the authors review the epidemiologic factors of prescription drug abuse, legal policies designed to safeguard against it, risk factors and red flags, and practical ways to minimize the chances of misuse.