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Question: What is our nation’s most abused drug? Need a hint? It is legal and may be sitting in your medicine cabinet.

Fatal drug overdoses are an epidemic. Opioid prescription painkiller overdoses account for the majority of these deaths. The National Safety Council revealed these startling facts many people do not know, but need to, about prescription painkiller use:

*  Forty-five people die every day from opioid prescription painkillers-more deaths than from heroin and cocaine overdoses combined.

*  In 2010, enough prescription painkillers were provided to medicate every American around the clock for an entire month.

*  More than 70% of people who abused prescription pain relievers got the pills from friends or relatives.

*  The U.S. contains only 4.6% of the world’s population but consumes 80% of the world’s opioids and 99% of the world’s hydrocodone.

*  While middle-aged men and women have the highest prescription painkiller fatal overdose rates, the rates are increasing most rapidly among women. Teen use also is rising. One in 8 high school seniors admits to using prescription painkillers for fun.

Remove painkillers from your home. Talk with your kids about drugs, including common medications in your home. If you need pain meds, work with your doctor to cut back.

If you have high blood pressure, you need to be cautious when taking over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for coughs, colds, and flu. Most people didn’t know they were at risk if they took certain decongestants, according to a survey by St. Joseph Health Products.

Here’s the caution:The most common OTC ingredient to avoid: decongestants. OTC cough and cold medicines with decongestants help to reduce nasal swelling in part by narrowing the blood vessels in the nose and facial area. However, the narrowing effect of decongestants can also affect other blood vessels while increasing blood pressure and heart rate, making it a potentially dangerous situation for the millions of Americans who have high blood pressure.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about which cold and cough medications might be better for you if you have high blood pressure.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, more than 15 million adults have an alcohol use disorder (AUD). This means they cannot stop or control their drinking.

It can be hard to admit that you or someone you love has AUD. Plus, someone with AUD can’t just decide to stop drinking. AUD is a health condition that requires treatment and support. Knowing the signs can help a person seek medical help.

Alcohol abuse is defined as:

*  A woman who has more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per sitting.

*  A man who has more than 14 drinks per week or more than 4 drinks per sitting.

*  A person older than 65 who has more than 7 drinks per week or more than 3 drinks per sitting.

Questions to ask about alcohol abuse

If you’re not sure whether your drinking is a problem, ask yourself:

*  Have I tried to stop drinking, but keep slipping up?

*  Do I feel that once I start drinking, I can’t stop?

*  Have I been told by others that my drinking is a problem?

*  Do I drink in the morning to “get my day started”?

*  Have I ever hurt myself or others because of my drinking?

*  Do I ever hide my drinking from others or lie about how much I’ve had?

*  Do I have “blackouts” or memory lapses  after drinking?

*  Is drinking interfering with my relationships?

*  Is my alcohol use getting in the way of success at work?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you may have AUD. Talk to your doctor about treatment that may help you.

Preventing alcohol abuse

Alcohol problems can run in families. If you have a close family member with AUD, you may have to work harder than others to avoid alcohol problems. But, preventing alcohol abuse is possible. Follow these tips to help:

*  Be extra cautious about signs of AUD and ask yourself the questions in this article on a regular basis.

*  If you decide to drink, stop after one drink and switch to non-alcoholic beverages.

*  Get regular checkups with your doctor. Follow any recommended treatment for health conditions.

*  Avoid people who drink too much or abuse alcohol.

*  Consider joining a support group.

Did you know?

As adults grow older, our bodies are less capable of tolerating addictive substances like alcohol, and are more susceptible to their negative effects.

Source: American Academy of Family Physicians

Be wary when watching those ads for drugs on TV because 6 out of 10 claims could potentially mislead you, say researchers in an article in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

False claims are illegal, but some claims were misleading, left out important information, exaggerated facts, provided opinions, or made meaningless links with lifestyle, the researchers found in reviewing TV drug commercials. Their findings also included problems with ads for over-the-counter drugs as well as prescription medication.

Don’t believe everything you see on TV, and when it comes to making medication decisions, your doctor and pharmacist are your best sources.