How opiate addiction may lead to overdose.
America has hopefully learned two things from the untimely overdose death of pop icon Prince. First, the longer you wait to get treatment for the abuse of painkillers, the more likely you are to die. Second, anyone who aids and abets someone in covering up their addiction is playing an active role in allowing a […]
Overdose deaths from heroin and opioid painkillers have been steadily increasing every year in America. This has prompted many healthcare workers to get the word out about life-saving options, including the recently developed drug naloxone. (more…)
Opiates are a group of drugs made from opium, which is a natural product found in poppy plants. Opiates are prescribed for the treatment of pain and have also been used to control diarrhea and as a cough suppressant. Opiates work on the CNS (central nervous system) and are categorized as Schedule II drugs. While […]
Since opiates and other opioids are commonly prescribed for relief from severe or chronic pain, there is an inherent temptation to take more than instructed. This is especially true given that the brain develops a tolerance for opiates. Over time, the body requires more and more of these narcotics in order to achieve the same […]
Acetaminophen (also known as paracetamol) is an analgesic pain reliever that is used to treat both fever and pain. This drug is often added to opioid painkillers, as in the drug Percocet. However, acetaminophen can be a dangerous drug in its own right. From 1990 to 1998, acetaminophen overdose was responsible for 56,000 emergency room […]
If you or a loved one struggles with opiate addiction, you do not struggle alone. Drug abuse and addiction are global problems, and opiate overdose statistics are heart-breaking. According to the World Health Organization[1], “Worldwide, an estimated 69,000 people die from opioid overdose each year…Non-fatal overdoses are several times more common than fatal opioid overdoses.” […]
Opiates are drugs derived from opium poppies. Opiates are available both as a prescription and in illegal forms. Some commonly used opiates include the following: heroin, morphine, Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, Codeine and Demerol. After alcohol intoxication, opioids are the most common cause of poisoning in patients presenting to North American emergency departments.[1] In many ways, […]
