Opioids are currently one of the most consumed substances in the world. However, this fact does not mean that its use without medical supervision has devastating effects on physical and mental health.
And the synthetic drugs derived from them cause, as the pattern of use of these drugs becomes consolidated, increasingly greater effects on the body of the user who consumes them, giving rise to a severe case of addiction and other pathologies. derived from this. Furthermore, the abuse of opiates can also harm us in the very short term without the need for the addictive disorder to consolidate; is what happens with opioid overdose which we will talk about in this article.
To prevent the public health problem caused by the use and abuse of opiates, we must know what the causes and effects of an overdose or intoxication caused by these substances are. Let’s start with the most fundamental thing: what type of drugs are we talking about?
Opioids are drugs commonly prescribed to relieve acute pain in some diseases or related to surgical interventions, a property due to the powerful analgesic action of one of its main active components: molecules that couple to the opioid receptors that are distributed throughout our nervous system.
When neurons capture these molecules, a chain reaction is generated that results in short-term functional changes in the central nervous system (in a matter of seconds and minutes), and if the intake is continued, long-term structural and functional changes also occur throughout the nervous system.
It is this last type of process that constitutes one of the main components of addiction: our body becomes “accustomed” to functioning with a certain presence of opioid-type molecules circulating inside it, and if this supply ceases, a crisis occurs. linked to withdrawal syndrome. But as we will see, although stopping opioid consumption causes discomfort, excess of this substance can, in a single intake, cause much greater health problems, or even death. That’s what makes opioid overdose so dangerous.
There are many opiates used for several decades in medicine, the most common are morphine, codeine, thebaine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, heroin, methadone and many other drugs that have been or are marketed legally and with a medical prescription.
Likewise, there are also illegal synthetic opiates such as fentanyl or morphine derivatives, whose consumption exposes the person to much more intense effects on their body that can put their own life at risk.
Opioid dependence
The essential characteristic of opiate dependence is that the person will need more and more doses of the drug to experience the same effects in their body as at the beginning of administration. For this reason, and because of the fact that if the use of these substances is not controlled it can cause an overdose and even death, it is very important to follow the doctor’s instructions if the use occurs in the context of treatment against a disease.
Besides that, With dependence, a withdrawal syndrome ends up developing a phenomenon that occurs when the person stops consuming the substance and is related to the appearance of a series of symptoms of discomfort, both physical and psychological.
Some of the main symptoms associated with withdrawal syndrome are: general malaise, restlessness, irritability, restlessness, sweating, tachycardia, muscle or bone pain, chills, leg movement, diarrhea, vomiting or anxiety.
What are the causes of opioid overdose?
The prescribed consumption of this type of medication is indicated, as mentioned, to treat a wide variety of acute pains present in various diseases; nevertheless, Its indiscriminate use also presents the risk of suffering an overdose
The widespread consumption of an opiate ends up generating physical dependence that may have some symptoms or others depending on the characteristics of the user of this drug and that may end up causing an overdose due to problems in moderating the dose.
The causes of opioid overdose can be various and differ between cases in which consumption is prescribed and cases in which there is no prescription at all and consumption is illegal In cases where the administration of the opioid has been prescribed by a health care provider, the causes of the overdose may be the following.
1. The doctor or provider does not know that the person is already taking an opioid at home
In a case in which the doctor is unaware of the patient’s previous prescription history may end up prescribing an opium-derived drug the same or similar to the one the person already takes.
In these cases, a case of poisoning or overdose may occur due to excess of the drug in question.
2. The person has a specific health problem
In the event of certain health problems such as liver or kidney problems, the consumption of opiates is strongly discouraged since it can lead to an overdose.
That is why, again, it is so important to know the patient’s medical history before prescribing any drug.
3. The doctor prescribes a sedative before the opioid
Sleeping medications, also called sedatives, are incompatible with the use of opiates.
When consuming both types of medication, a case of poisoning may also appear that endangers the person’s life. That is why the doctor must be well informed of the medications that are being used.
4. The provider does not know that another provider had already prescribed another opioid
A case similar to assumption number 1, in which there is a communication problem between health care providers.
That is why it is so important that the patient is also aware of what he is taking and carefully read the instructions for use of the medicine
Causes of the use of opioids outside the medical field
In cases where the person consumes opiates for recreational purposes and without a medical prescription, the causes of overdose can be:
1. Excessive consumption
It is evident that any drug or drug consumed excessively can end in an overdose, something that seriously affects the life of the person in question.
Any drug consumed excessively can cause overdose or poisoning in the body, even those that are legal.
2. Consumption of the opiate with other drugs to maximize its effects
Combining an opioid with other substances or drugs such as alcohol or sleeping medications increases the risk of suffering an overdose.
Consume any drug together with other drugs will always be more dangerous than managing it independently
3. Consumption of the opiate in a different way than normal
Using an opioid in a different way than usual, such as by smoking or inhaling through the nose, also increases the risk of overdose.
Any alternative consumption modality that the person puts into practice, will substantially increase the danger of the drug in your body and the likelihood of suffering from poisoning or overdose
What are the effects of overdose?
The effects of opioid overdose or poisoning are also various and diverse depending on the physical and psychological characteristics of the person who consumes said substance and who suffers from it.
Among the most important effects we can highlight: drowsiness, slow breathing, loss of consciousness, disorientation, anguish, general malaise, muscle pain and in more serious cases it can cause the death of the consumer.
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