A 55-year-old mother of 3three is brought to the emergency department shortly after being found lying on her bed by her neighbor. They usually have coffee in the afternoon and when her friend did not answer the door, her neighbor let herself in. Upon finding the patient, the neighbor called 911. First responders reported numerous bottles of medications next to the patient’s bed, but mistakenly did not grab them. In the emergency department, the patient is is lethargic and disoriented to person,
a serious dilemma in the US such with that of opioid addictions. To first understand the importance of harm reduction to substance abuse like opioid, one must understand why it is classified as a harmful substance. Opioid is a narcotic analgesic class of drugs which includes that of heroin, the synthetic variation fentanyl and other analgesic as oxycodone(OxyContin), hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. These drugs adhere specifically to the opioid receptors in the PNS and CNS. Main functions as
anyone you know and or love currently struggle with opioid addiction? Have you witnessed the loss of a life due to opioid addiction? Opioid addiction is a major issue we are all facing the United States either directly or indirectly. The opioid epidemic has continued to grow yearly, and shows no real solutions in the trend of it slowing down or it coming to an end. Doctors are well aware of this information and are working to reduce the number of opioid abuse cases created at the source. There are options
Maryland from the first nine months of 2016. This is 62 percent higher than from the same time period of 2015. Frederick is suffering from the Heroin epidemic the most heavily.in 2014 there were 32 heroin deaths in Frederick county. The number of overdoses in frederick has increased by 10. There is a bill being proposed
America is struggling with a new epidemic that is taking several lives every day. “Prescription drug overdoses claim at least 40 lives daily” ("Prescription Drug Overdose," n.d.Para 1). The opioid crisis occurring across the nation is devastating. A major problem is that once patients become dependent on these prescription medications, they are reportedly seeking more affordable alternatives such as heroin or fentanyl. In addition, patients may be switching to heroin when their doctor suddenly discontinues
The opioid epidemic that has taken over the United States is likely the largest public health crisis that our country has faced in the 21st century. It has torn countless families and small rural communities apart in its wake, and does not currently show signs of slowing down anytime in the near future. In the last couple decades, the United States’ government has addressed the epidemic as a criminal problem. Treating those affected by the opioid crisis like criminals has not yielded positive results
Drug overdose deaths are at an all-time high. They are also responsible for more deaths than vehicle crashes and firearms, uncombined. In order to understand the drug addiction crisis in the United States it is imperative to understand the meaning of addiction, addictive drugs, those affected, contributing factors, and prevention along with rehabilitation. Addiction is very complex, and it is important to recognize how people can become addicted to things. Despite beliefs, addicts are not merely
is facing an epidemic of opioid addiction and opioid overdose with an unprecedented level of mortality (Global Commission on Drug Policy, 2017). Opioids are a drug category that contains both illegal and prescription drugs and their main effect is to relieve pain, but when taken in excess, they also produce euphoric side effects. Opioid use can lead to addiction, even when used properly used as prescribed by a doctor, which leads to an increase in opioid related overdoses and deaths. They are typically
and Human services the total number of drug overdose related deaths increased by 18 percent in 2016. Most of the drug overdoses were from opioids ("Michigan overdose deaths grew in 2016," 2017). Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin, licit prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, norco, and morphine, as well as other synthetic forms such as fentanyl. When taken how they are prescribed and for a short period of time opioid pain relievers are typically safe to use. However
Contributing to the Opioid Epidemic in America If you watch the news it should come as no surprise that drug abuse and overdoses have increased dramatically in the United States. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, as many as 36 million people abuse opioids throughout the world with 2.1 million in the U.S. who currently suffer from opioid abuse disorders (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2014). These astonishing numbers are only marginalized when comparing them to opioid related deaths