Opioid Case Studies

Mindy Perkins is 48 year old woman who presents to the ED with 10- 15 loose, liquid stools daily for the past 2 days. She completed a course of oral Amoxicillin seven days ago for a dental infection. In addition to loose stools, she complains of lower abdominal pain that began 2 days ago as well. She has not noted any blood in the stool. She denies vomiting, fever, or chills. She is on Prednisone for Crohn’s disease as well as Pantoprazole (Protonix) for severe GERD.

The overall purpose and mission of this program is to reduce the high amounts of opioids being prescribed by physicians in Oregon, by means of increasing physicians knowledge and improving the quality of education in regards to prescribing opioids to patients.

Pt is seen in the ER room and states that he is tired and had tremors so he came to the ER to be on the safe side. Daughter also states that he had tremors in the morning and. Patient's CC is that was tired and had tremors in the morning. States that he stays alone, was worried, and has no past history. Assessment of the head shows no sign of deformities or trauma. Neck shows no sign of deformities or trauma. Chest shows no sign of

In 2004, Carol Ward confronted a Manitoba doctor with a photo of her daughter, Lisa Erickson, injecting drugs. She pleaded with the doctor to stop prescribing morphine to her daughter because her daughter was suffering from a drug addiction and did not need opioids. Her daughter died of an overdose at age 32. According to the new data from Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) and provincial regulatory agencies suggest physicians rarely face serious discipline in opioid-related cases, however, many doctors worried since investigations and monitoring has increased (Glauser, 2017). The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario released information that about 84 doctors flagged by the ministry of health for prescribing opioids in

1Executive SummaryTo determine the best way of supplying naloxone (Narcan) to victims of opioid overdoseat Mason Public Schools, I first confirmed that naloxone administration might benecessary on school grounds. By surveying the public, researching news articles, andconducting personal interviews, I have determined that opioids are being useddangerously or illegally by Mason students and visitors to our schools. It is possible thatsomeone will need emergency treatment with naloxone after overdosing on schoolproperty.Local teens and young adults are suffering from opioid addiction. Some studentsexperiment with drugs and end up hooked. Others are prescribed opioid pain medicationand their addiction begins more innocently. Local students have

As better and more comprehensive education is provided both to the general public and practicing clinicians the hope is to reduce the negativity surrounding the users of opioids, and to eliminate demeaning language coupled to them as well. This could improve patient morale and help the needless continuation of physical suffering within patients, as they would be more comfortable approaching and using opioids for therapeutic purposes1. That being said there are those within our communities who do abuse these substances and pharmacists must recognize the signs of abusers, it is important for them to reach out, without comment, to help those suffering from opioid abuse once they have been

Opioids are painkillers, such as—morphine, methadone, Buprenorphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone ("What drugs are opioids?"). The opioid crisis is a national crisis that has caused 250,000 fatalities from 2000 to 2014. This crisis is a torrent of painkillers, black-market synthetic versions and heroin. A report from a federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows more adults use prescription painkillers than cigarettes. Many experts have compared this crisis to the IIIV and AIDS epidemics because it has caused citizens to be cautious. Opioids have been a major discussions topic, which has caused many officials to brain-storm ways to prevent further complications.

A​ ​recent​ ​government​ ​study​ ​found​ ​there​ ​was​ ​a​ ​400%​ ​increase​ ​in​ ​the​ ​abuse​ ​of​ ​prescription​ ​drugs

Opioids attach themselves to specific proteins called opioid receptors. These opioid receptors are found throughout the body including the brain, spinal cord, and GI tract. When an opioid attaches to a receptor, it can reduce the perception of pain. Through this coupling with receptors, opioids can also produce drowsiness, mental confusion, nausea, constipation, and, depending upon the amount of drug taken, can stop respiration leading to death (overdosing).

I interviewed my stepson who is currently struggling with an opioid addiction. This 24-year-old male has struggled for the nine years with his addiction, and when discussing it appeared to be depressed and unable to feel any hope to overcome it. When asked about his goals in life he reacted disempowered and unable to build a path to achieve his dreams. When we discussed his family and support he reacted very irritated and frustrated by the lack of support, as the family members who have been there for him in the past will not speak to him due to the re occurring relapses. The interviewee was asked about his diet and fitness habits and although he communicated a desire to continue a proper diet and exercise regime he has not been motivated to

Opioid is the fastest addiction in Iowa. “These are not aspirin,” says Dale Woolery. You can’t mix these painkillers with any other pill or painkillers in fact. Opioid painkillers are 50 to 100 times stronger than any other painkiller, from prescription painkillers to illegal painkillers, which are a knockoff of Heroin. Opioid is in the class of most addicting and lethal pills.

The people of Maine are in trouble. We are losing our citizens to opioid abuse at an alarming rate. We have, thus far, been paralyzed to do anything about treating the disease that’s running rampant through our communities, families, and homes. The overprescribing of prescription opiates in the 1990s and 2000s, driven by the profit margins of the multinational companies getting rich on the backs of those in chronic pain, has led to an unprecedented amount of addiction, crime, and death amongst Maine’s people. The strict rules, laws, and changes put in place to curb the prescription and abuse of opioids in the state of Maine has exacerbated an already out of control problem. They have contributed not to the desired lowering of

While reading the article I considered what would be some good questions to ask for this sections of the papers. My first question, what is the difference between the non-opioids and the strong opioids. After further reading I discovered that non-opioids are available in your drug store, such as ibuprofen. Opioids you can’t find at your drug store, these consist of the hard painkillers like Morphine and oxycodone. My second question, how do patients go off opioids without suffering from withdrawals? Opioids have to be slowly discontinued. “Decreasing the daily does by up to 10 to 20 per cent per day over several weeks to minimize withdrawal symptoms” My third and final question, is there a way to minimalize pain in a breast cancer patient without

If a person has taken opioids and is then given Narcan, the opioids will be knocked out of the opiate receptors in the brain. Narcan can help even if opioids are taken with alcohol or other drugs. According to The Opiate Antidote to Save a Life, “After a dose of Narcan the person should begin to breathe more normally and it will become easier to wake them. Brain damage can occur within only a few minutes of an opioid overdose as the result of a lack of oxygen to the brain.”

On June 6, 2017 Arizona Governor Doug Ducey declared the opioid epidemic a public health emergency in the state of Arizona (Vestal, C. 2017, June 6). Since 2012 there has been a 74% increase in opioid overdoses and deaths; this equals about 2 opioid overdose deaths per day in Arizona (Vestal, C. 2017, June 6). 431 million opioid pills were prescribed in Arizona in 2016 enough for every Arizonan to have a 2.5 week supply of opioid pills (Arizona Department of Health Services, 2017). The “U.S. is only 5% of the world’s population however we consume more than 80% of the worlds opioid supply” (Arizona Department of Health Services, 2017). In 2011 opioids made $11 billion in profits for pharmaceutical businesses (Eban, 2011)