|
An opioid overdose is an acute condition due to excessive use of opioids. Examples of opioids are: morphine, heroin, tramadol, oxycodone, and methadone. It should not be confused with opioid dependency. Although opioid overdose doesn't constitute a majority of the overdoses seen in the emergency department it is important to rule out in patients given its potential for mortality and the ease of reversal.〔Dart RC, Surratt HL, Cicero TJ, Parrino MW, Severtson SG, Bucher-Bartelson B, et al. Trends in opioid analgesic abuse and mortality in the United States. ''N Engl J Med''. 2015 Jan 15. 372(3):241-8.〕 Opioid use disorders resulted in 51,000 worldwide deaths in 2013 up from 18,000 deaths in 1990. Prescription opioid overdose was responsible for more deaths in the United States from 1999-2008 than heroin and cocaine overdose combined. Dependence on prescription opioids can stem from treatment of chronic pain and in recent years is the cause of the increased number of opioid overdoses. ==Signs and symptoms== Opioids because of their effect on the part of the brain that regulates breathing can when one overdoses on them lead to the person not breathing anymore (respiratory depression) and therefore death.〔 Opiate overdose symptoms and signs can be referred to as the "Opioid Overdose Triad": decreased level of consciousness, pinpoint pupils and respiratory depression. Other symptoms include seizures and muscle spasms. Sometimes a person experiencing an opiate overdose can lead to such a decreased level of consciousness that he or she won't even wake up to their name being called or being shaken by another person. Alcohol also causes respiratory depression and therefore when taken with opioids can increase the risk of respiratory depression and death.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「opioid overdose」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|