Buprenorphine Essay

Last year there were over 64,000 reported opioid-related deaths in the United States – making it the leading cause of accidental death in people under the age of 50 in this country (Katz). Opioids, also referred to as painkillers, have become a growing problem over the past two decades particularly in rural communities all across the country where the death rates are higher per capita compared to the death rate in cities (“America’s Opioid Epidemic is Worsening”). These narcotics, such as codeine, fentanyl, hydrocodone, morphine and oxycodone are extremely addictive and, as a result, this silent killer has quadrupled the overdose death toll since 1999

To begin with, studies show that, “In 12 states there are more opioid prescriptions than people” (Brooks). Abuse and addiction of substances like opioids are becoming more of an issue with each generation. People are allowing for these substances to control them. When will people be satisfied with their life enough to not get dragged by this demon. But who are we to blame?

Prescription drug abuse has become an epidemic in the United States especially among the youth of our country. The Partnership for a Drug Free America says that 2,500 teens a day abuse prescription drugs. Abuse of these narcotics can lead to serious mental and physical consequences. Why is this such a problem, what can we do to solve it, and how is it affecting our social lives?

To help with the quick admission, intranasal administration is a convenience to those who have to administer Naloxone because intranasal Naloxone has a preset dosage. While intranasal Naloxone is easier to administer, intravenous and intramuscular Naloxone administrators have a choice on the dose to give. Advanced EMTs have enough knowledge to choose the dose of Naloxone to give the patient to keep the patient alive. Intranasal was not approved until November of 2015 when the FDA approved a highly concentrated spray form of Naloxone (Strang et al. 576). Intranasal administration only allows one dose to be given compared to Intravenous administration which allows a more adjusted dosage of Naloxone to be given. According to Ott, an

The binding could only occur in the receptors active site if the size, shape and charge of the morphine’s meet the requirement of the receptor. Once the match is identified, the following binding process would take place. The flat benzene ring in morphine would fit securely in the flat surface of the receptor’s active site to allow the rest of the molecule to fall in place easily. The adjacent carbon atoms would fit into a nearby groove, while the nitrogen atom would attach to the negatively charged group receptor, hence joining the two together. After the binding occurred, the morphine would be able to block the sending of the painful information from the pre-synaptic neuron on the nociceptor. This is because, it caused a reactionary changed in the cell which blocks its ability to produces the substance that causes the feeling of pain during and/or after an operation and injury.

In the current health trends, complimentary alternative medicine has been used to control musculoskeletal pain such as back and neck pain, joint pain and arthritis. The Department of Veteran Affairs has been exploring different alternatives for the veterans with controlling noncancerous chronic pain versus the frequent use of opioids drugs. Complimentary alternative medicine practices have become more apparent and useful within the healthcare system. First, this paper will discuss the significance of complimentary alternative medicines among the veterans with chronic pain. Secondly, there will be a discussion of the three themes identified in the literature review. Thirdly, there will be a discussion with the synthesis on two

With the increase of medical availability of buprenorphine there have been concerns about the abuse potential. There have been international cases of misuse and abuse-related morbidity and mortality. In Finland, intravenous abuse of these drugs has been

There are many various kinds of prescription of pain relievers, which include: opioids, corticosteroids, antidepressants and anticonvulsants (anti-seizure medications). Among them I would like to focus on opioid medications and its side effects. Opioid medications are narcotic pain medications that contain natural poppy plant, synthetic opiates such as; methadone, fentanyl, tapentadol and tramadol, as well as the semi- synthetic opioids such as; oxycodone, hydrocodone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone and heroin. Opioid prescriptions are morphine (C17H19NO3), heroin (C21H23NO5), codeine (C18H21NO3) and thebaine (C19H21NO3). They are highly addictive substances are called opiates. Opioid medications have been used for hundreds and thousands of years to treat both pain and mental health problems. It is also use in a short-term pain after surgery. According to the survey in the past two decades, the prescription of opioid in the United States has been increased to the higher levels that is more than 600% (Paulozzi & Baldwin, 2012). However, that opioid medications are very dangerous to the patients’ respiratory system, other parts of the internal body and even can cause death. It should be only being use after wise discernment and with a great care.

People who are addicted to opioids experience negative mental and physical effects that include nausea, weakened immune system, a lowered breathing rate and worst case, coma (Prashad 2017). Since opioid effects the immune system, individuals have an increased risk of developing HIV or any infectious deadly disease. The risk does not end there, effects of opioids also includes, hallucinations, clogged blood vessels and the risk of choking (Prashad 2017). Having a child, parent, friend or any loved one that is addicted to opioids have many affects. Parents who have an opioid addict child, may feel as they were the reason for their addiction. Parents might feel guilt by thinking their lifestyle at home was the main trigger for wanting to take

(Cohen, 1990; Spillane et al., 2002; Spillane, Reiser & Reimer, 2006; Cohen, Moffit & Goldin,

For patients that have previously misused medication or are predisposed to addiction, opioids are not always an option for pain management. In this case, doctors use MATs, Medication Assisted Treatment, which offers a plan in order to treat addiction and offer pain relief at the same time. By offering sufficient amounts of dosage for an acceptable duration, MATs increase the length of abstinence in these patients. It has also been proven that, “MAT interventions also suppress withdrawal symptoms, extinguishing cravings, and block the reinforcing effects of the abused opioid agents” (Leahy). Buprenorphine is prescribed to women that are pregnant and is often the most popular of MATs, for it does not react with other drugs, allowing doctors

Buprenorphine comes in different forms such as Suboxone and Subutex, both of which are disbursed either sublingually (Dissolved under the tongue), in pill form, dissolving strips, or transdermal (Through the pores) patches. While pill form and strips are designed strictly for Opioid Addiction, Transdermal patches are also used for moderate pain relief and disbursed in a time-release

Heroin addicts have the psychological dependence on heroin that leads them into the state of self-destruction and the possibility of leading to death by the extreme use of heroin. Never estimate the poppy flower for its power that withholds the fiends to their mentality enduring the euphoria enslavement of the mind that contained for many centuries. The heroin addiction nation is a self numbing injection and dry approach to have the mind under the state of the greatest feeling of great happiness leaving the pain behind under the spell of heroin. Heroin comes in many forms for addicts to enjoy in their own way. They come in powder and rock like form that is combined with other narcotics. The snorting form for heroin is not

Quantitative PET imaging can be used to visualize the distribution, density and activity of the opioid receptor after opioid receptor radioligands injected into the bloodstream. It provides precise pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic measurements. If the drug under investigated is competing

Distribution around the body occurs when the drug reaches the circulation(Neil, 2015), The literature states the route of administration does not have a particular effect on the half life of the drug, however, certain delivery systems like oral sustained release or matrix patch will affect the half life of the drug (Smith, 2008). Half-life is the term used to represent the time taken for the concentration of the drug in the blood to fall down to half of its original value (Neil, 2015). The time to steady dose and interval depends upon the half-life of the drug (Smith, 2008) and the half-life of codeine is 3 hours (Drug bank, 2015). Moreover, in opioids the dose intervals longer than the half-life will cause resurgence of pain, too short intervals