The Effects of Morphine on Human Body

Next, there is an extensive history of opioid use for pain management, and other symptom management as well. Morphine can be traced back to Civil War veterans trying to manage pain and, consequently, being addicted. “‘Drugs were already on the scene and being consumed at alarming rates long before the start of the war,’ said Mark A Quinoes, a scholar who studied drug abuse during the Civil War.” It was not until 1898 that heroin was on the market for commercial sale, considered a “wonder drug,” it began to spread in use along with users that found out injecting it would increase its effects. There was little known about these new opioids, they were even used as cough suppressants. Heroin worked for what is was being used as, a pain suppressant, and there were few other options. In 1914 the Harrison Narcotics Tax Act imposed a tax on importing and selling opium or coca leaves. In 1924 doctors were avoiding using opioids after being aware of their addictive nature which lead heroin becoming illegal. Without this opioid, doctors had to get creative when treating World War II soldiers, this sparked research into nerve blockers. These nerve blockers managed pain without the use of surgery. This was, unfortunately, not the end of the opioid. While these results were shocking the pharmaceutical industry still faces much leniency from the federal

Eventually, the person may consume astronomical amounts of opioids to satisfy the increase in tolerance. As an example, I treated a young man consuming over 1000 mg of morphine daily. For reference, the usual starting dose of morphine is 30-60 mg daily. He was fully alert without a hint of fatigue, unsteadiness in his gait or incoherence in his speech. That same dose in a person without built-up tolerance would easily be fatal.

Opiates are derivatives of the Poppy plant or better known as Opium, but are sometimes chemically reproduced scientifically in labs as products that assume the same chemical make-up. Opium is made up of two main pain relieving drugs, Morphine and Codeine, which are used in the treatment of many stages of pain. There are many different forms of Opiates, or Opioids, such as Heroin, Oxycodone, and Hydrocodone.

Eventually, the person may consume astronomical amounts of opioids to satisfy the increase in tolerance. As an example, I treated a young man consuming more than 1000 mg of morphine daily. For reference, the usual starting dose of morphine is 30-60 mg daily. Yet, he was fully alert without a hint of fatigue, unsteadiness in his gait or incoherence in his speech. That same dose in a person without built-up tolerance would easily

Understanding medications and relating them to a patient’s care is a legal requirement for the RN. Morphine an opioid analgesic is for moderate to severe pain which has respiratory suppression as the main side effect, naloxone and resuscitation equipment should be close by to reverse this effect. (Tiziani, 2013). Glyceryl trinitrate (GTN) used for chest pain, works by causing vasodilation to the blood vessels therefore increasing blood flow to the heart, the risk of repeated doses may lead to hypotension (Tiziani, 2013). Aspirin is used as an antiplatelet for Mr Jones and given for a suspected myocardial infarction (MI) due to plaque that may have broken away within a coronary artery and formed a blood clot that leads to a blockage (Tiziani,

Opiates are chemical substances that are mostly used in the medical field for treatment and relief of pain. They work by binding to opioid receptors in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract to stop the sensation of pain. It works as a depressant, thereby inhibiting nerve organs response, changing the heart rate and dulling the feeling of pain and helplessness.

Since their development, Opiate painkillers have proved invaluable in the healthcare industry. The need for analgesia has been prevalent since the beginning of time itself and opium has been used as early as Ancient China and fought over in wars such as the Opium Wars. More modernly, this substance has been synthesized for potency and purity in achieving the ultimate pain reliever. It exists in drugs today such as OxyContin, Norco, Percocet, morphine, Dilaudid, Opana, and Demerol. In addition to relieving pain, these medications also produce euphoria and bind to opiate receptors in the brain which contribute to the development of forming an addiction. Opiate Addiction only grows as an issue in the United States due to its availability and lack of knowledge regarding addiction on behalf of patients receiving pain medication. This is why finding an effective cure or treatment to opiate addiction is imperative. Individual treatments for opiate addiction such as replacement therapy, rehabilitation, and support groups are flawed by themselves, however, in combination provide the most effective treatment for opiate addiction.

Once an individual receives extreme amounts on morphine, the body will not be able to manage the activation or deactivation of the -opioid receptor. This leads to adverse effects on the individual which includes asphyxia, hallucinations, confusion, delirium, suppressive breathing, and eventually death[18]. Further, it was determine that the on average the minimum lethal dose for morphine is 200 mg which can lead to life threatening respiratory

Pain relief from narcotics is achieved by releasing endorphins that activate the naturally existing opioid receptors in the brain (Hanson et al., 2012, p. 255). There are two major issues that stem from usage of opioids foreign to the body. Morphine activates the opioid receptors in the brain that block pain/ induce pleasure (Hanson et al., 2012, p. 255). With extended use, the body with slow/halt the

Long-term opiate use can also lead to tolerance. That is why it is common for people who use opiates to increase their dosage in order to experience the same effects. People who are addicted to opiates may also go to extreme measures to obtain the drug, such as stealing and doctor shopping.

Morphine, a well-known pain reliever used intravenously in the pre-hospital setting, is the most widely used by first responders. As stated by The University of Chicago, “now more than 230 tons of Morphine is used each year for medical purposes including pain relief for patients with chronic pain or advanced medical illness and post-operative analgesia” (Medicine). Freidrich Wilhelm Adam Serturner, a pharmacist’s assistant, first discovered Morphine in 1805 (Medicine). According to The University of Chicago, “Serturner found that opium with the alkaloid removed had no effect on animals, but the alkaloid itself had 10 times the power of processed opium. He named that substance morphine, after Morpheus, the Greek god of dreams, for its tendency to cause sleep” (Medicine). Morphine, according to Pharmacology Examination & Board Review, is defined as an “Opioid analgesic prototype: strong mu receptor agonist” and it belongs to a classification of drugs that is “derived from the alkaloids of the opium poppy and includes opiates, opiopeptins, and all synthetic and semi-synthetic drugs that mimic the actions of the opiates” (Trevor, Katzung and Masters). The relief of pain is made

Opioids are the most widely used and effective of analgesics for the treatment of severe pain. They act by binding to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are found in the central nervous system. There are four known receptors mu, delta, kappa and opiate like receptor. The most common pain management receptor is the mu, it is also involved with mood enhancers and causes activation of dopamine that is associated with euphoria. When these drugs attach to their receptors, they drastically reduce the amount of pain. Opioids can also produce other effects such as, drowsiness, nausea, lowering of blood pressure and reducing respiration. Opioids can also produce a euphoric feeling for some users, as it is interferes with the reward pathways.

Since it is an opiate, morphine is extremely addictive. When used under a physician's supervision in small amounts, morphine can generally be used safely. If it is used for a long time period or in large quantities, it can become addictive.

In 1870, nonphysician Samuel Williams, had proposed the idea of using morphine and anesthetics to end a patient’s life, and to even lessen their pain when dying. As ether (a burning substance used in medicine) had been developed, physicians had begun to use anesthetic to relieve a patient's death, and in 1846, the first person to use ether anesthetics in an operation would be John Warren (Emanuel 793). During the Civil War, many physicians have been using hypodermic morphine to lessen the pain of soldiers, which had tremendously helped the physicians in gaining more experience with using the hypodermic morphine.

One of the most abused drugs in the United States, opiates are easily accessible because they are readily prescribed by doctors for pain relief. Opiates, whether prescription painkillers or heroin, are derived from the chemicals that are found in opium poppies and are highly addictive. If not taken correctly with oversight from a licensed medical provider, using opiates can cause a drug addiction that’s hard to overcome. The Brightside Clinic understands the hard battle with opiate addiction and works with patients to get back on the right track. Below, they discusses three side effects that coincide with opiate abuse.