Ingenuity Health Releases First Research Report on Potential Medication Nonadherence and Misuse of Opioids and Illicit Drugs Among the Seriously Mentally Ill
Research based on urine drug testing focused on exposing the problems associated with medication nonadherence in those with SMI and how medication monitoring can help
BALTIMORE, Sept. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ingenuity Health, a service of Ameritox, Ltd., and a leading provider of medication monitoring solutions to behavioral health clinicians, today released its first-ever research report that examines the extent of potential patient nonadherence to antipsychotic medications used to treat serious mental illness (SMI). The report details the harmful effects of nonadherence for patients and society along with the equally pernicious problem of misuse of prescription painkillers and abuse of illicit drugs in patients with SMI.
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Based on nearly 23,000 patient samples collected through urine drug monitoring and tested for the presence of a prescribed antipsychotic, 24.8 percent of samples did not contain the prescribed antipsychotic, 33 percent contained a non-prescribed drug and 19.7 percent contained an illicit drug. Marijuana and non-prescribed benzodiazepines (such as Valium or Xanax) were the most commonly detected illicit drugs and non-prescribed drugs.
"Medication nonadherence, along with the practice of misusing and abusing opioids and the abuse of illicit drugs, occur too often among people with serious mental illnesses, and pose serious risks to the health and welfare of these patients and to those around them," said Jerry Vaccaro, MD, President of Ingenuity Health. "With these obstacles to long-term health, the more additional insight into adherence that we can provide, the better clinicians can treat and manage their patients and prevent tragedy."
"We're publishing these internal results because the consequences of those with serious mental illness going untreated are enormous for both patients and the communities they live in," said Scott Walton, CEO of Ameritox. "We also hope that these facts will help public officials, health care workers, community groups, educators and media use this data to address the issues that mental illness creates for patients and for society."
About Ingenuity Health
A service of AmeritoxSM, a national leader in medication monitoring solutions, Ingenuity Health utilizes urine drug monitoring to provide highly reliable data and analysis that helps doctors and behavioral health specialists better treat patients diagnosed with SMI.
Visit the Ingenuity Health website at: www.ingenuityhealth.com
Follow Ingenuity Health on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ingenuityhealth
About Ameritox
Ameritox helped pioneer the prescription drug monitoring necessary to address the national epidemic of prescription drug misuse, abuse, and diversion. As a trusted leader in Pain Medication Monitoring SolutionsSM, Ameritox provides medical and business professionals with health care solutions that can help improve patient care and prevent tragedy. Ameritox, headquartered in Baltimore, Md., has laboratory facilities in Greensboro, N.C.
Visit the Ameritox website at: www.ameritox.com
Follow Ameritox on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ameritox
Lon Wagner, Ameritox
Office: 336-387-7742
Email
Genevieve Rozansky, 30 Point Strategies
Office: 202-509-0794
Email
SOURCE Ingenuity Health
Related Links
http://www.ingenuityhealth.com
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