About 66% of Americans use prescription drugs. Some of these medications can have serious side effects, including drug addiction (substance use disorder) and overdose, especially if you misuse them. Here are seven of the most dangerous drugs available by prescription.

1. Opioids

Prescription opioids are analgesics (prescription painkillers) that treat moderate-to-severe pain.

While they work very well, they pose a high risk of abuse, addiction, and fatal overdose. They can also cause harmful side effects such as confusion, dizziness, and severe drowsiness. That’s why most doctors only prescribe opioids for short-term use.

The most commonly prescribed opioids include:

codeine
hydrocodone (brand name Vicodin)
hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
morphine
oxycodone (OxyContin or Percocet)
oxymorphone (Opana)

As central nervous system depressants, opioids slow down your breathing and heart rate. At high doses, they may slow these functions to a life-threatening degree.

Fentanyl

In recent years, the synthetic opioid fentanyl has caused an unprecedented surge in drug overdose deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fentanyl is up to 50 times stronger than heroin. It’s often laced in street drugs such as heroin and methamphetamine.

2. Benzodiazepines

Like opioids, benzodiazepines (or “benzos”) slow down your central nervous system. However, instead of treating pain, they treat anxiety, seizures, and insomnia (trouble sleeping). The most common benzodiazepines include:

alprazolam (Xanax)
clonazepam (Klonopin)
diazepam (Valium)
lorazepam (Ativan)

These prescription medications pose a high risk of physical dependence, especially if you take them for a long time or at high doses. Physical dependence means your body starts relying on benzodiazepines to function normally.

If you stop using them, you may experience withdrawal symptoms such as:

irritability
anxiety
panic attacks
trouble sleeping
trouble concentrating
sweating
shaking
muscle pain

Also, even if you don’t become physically dependent on them, benzodiazepines can have dangerous side effects, including memory problems, loss of control of bodily movements, and slowed breathing or heartbeat.

3. Prescription Stimulants

Prescription stimulants are used to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy (excessive sleepiness). They increase your energy, alertness, and ability to focus. Some of the most common prescription stimulants include:

amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall)
dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
lisdexamfetamine (Vyvanse)
methylphenidate (Ritalin or Concerta)

At high doses, these drugs can have harmful side effects, including high blood pressure, seizures, irregular heartbeat, and heart failure. People who use prescription stimulants in a manner not prescribed may also experience:

anger and aggressiveness
paranoia
delusions (beliefs that aren’t based in reality)
hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that aren’t there)
heart attack
stroke

Also, misusing prescription stimulants (or using them as prescribed for a long period of time) can lead to addiction.

4. Ambien

If you have trouble sleeping, your doctor might prescribe a medication called zolpidem. Sold under the brand name Ambien, this medication promotes sleep by slowing down brain activity. It can have dangerous side effects, especially if you misuse it. These effects may include:

shortness of breath
rash, hives, or itching
swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, or throat
trouble breathing or swallowing
chest pain
pounding heartbeat

In addition, if you take too much Ambien, you may overdose. Common symptoms of an Ambien overdose include drowsiness, slowed breathing or heartbeat, and loss of consciousness.

5. Acetaminophen

Better known as Tylenol, acetaminophen is a pain reliever and fever reducer. While you can purchase milder versions of acetaminophen over the counter, stronger versions require a prescription.

Although acetaminophen is generally safe, it sometimes has serious side effects, including:

hoarseness
trouble breathing or swallowing
rash, hives, or itching
red, peeling, or blistering skin
swelling of the face, eyes, lips, tongue, throat, lower legs, ankles, or feet

Also, if you take too much acetaminophen, you may experience liver damage. In some cases, this damage may be life-threatening.

6. Barbiturates

Barbiturates are sedative drugs used to treat anxiety, seizures, and insomnia. Popular in the 1960s, they are no longer commonly prescribed. That’s because they pose a high risk of drug abuse and addiction. They also have a variety of side effects, which may include:

drowsiness
dizziness
slurred speech
loss of coordination
poor judgment
trouble thinking
confusion
memory loss

In addition, these medications can cause a life-threatening overdose. Common signs of barbiturate overdose include shallow breathing, clammy skin, and loss of consciousness.

7. Antidepressants

As the name suggests, antidepressants are prescribed to treat symptoms of depression. They can also help treat other mental health conditions, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Some people who take these medications experience little to no side effects. However, others develop issues such as:

anxiety
loss of appetite
trouble sleeping
sexual dysfunction, including loss of libido and difficulty achieving orgasm
emotional numbness

Also, some antidepressants can cause physical dependence. If you stop using them, you might experience withdrawal symptoms like headache, fatigue, and nausea.

If you or someone you love struggles with prescription or illicit drug use, please reach out to Northeast Addictions Treatment Center. Our board-certified healthcare providers offer medical detox, mental health counseling, and other substance abuse treatment options to help you or your loved one thrive.