Opioid Overdose

Physical and mental symptoms that occur after taking too many opioids, a substance found in certain prescription pain medications and illegal drugs like heroin.

An overdose can be life-threatening and requires immediate emergency care. People who take high doses of opioid painkillers, are middle-aged, have a history of substance abuse, or are taking other sedatives are at highest risk.

Symptoms may include shallow breathing, confusion, lessened alertness, and loss of consciousness.

Opioid overdose is a medical emergency and emergency services should be called immediately. Treatments include medications like naloxone that reverse the effects of opioids. A breathing machine can help if breathing is impaired.

Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW143
Diagnosis: Opioid Overdose
US Patients: 110,000 deaths + more with permanent brain damage (2017)
World Patients: 500,000 deaths, world wide
Sex Ratio:
Age Onset:
Brain Area: inadequate oxygen in the brain in the medulla and pons can lead to death or brain damage
Symptoms: Inability to breathe or decreased consciousness can kill.
Progression:
Causes:
Medications: Naloxone has reversed more than 25,000 overdoses by 2014.
Therapies: Used as directed, Lohr’s DVD and Download, “Calming My Pain!” avoidusing opioids for post-surgical or other causes of pain.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL WIKIPEDIA ARTICLE

Youtube Video:

A Real Life Opioid Overdose

Youtube Video: Addressing Opioid Overdose in the Workplace

Amazon or Library Book: Opioids, Opiates, and Overdose

Click the book to link or buy from Amazon.

Support Group: samhsa.gov; 800-662-4357

(U.S. Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration)

4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED

The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis

Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.

Mobile telephone contingency management to encourage adherence to supervised medication among individuals most at risk of non-adherence to opioid agonist treatment: a study protocol for a feasibility study (TIES2)
by Nicola Metrebian on March 25, 2025
BACKGROUND: Supervision of opioid agonist treatment (OAT) ensures that individuals take their correct daily dose to minimise withdrawal and craving, safeguard against diversion and overdose, and receive optimal benefit from OAT. There is an urgent need to develop effective interventions to increase medication adherence and technological solutions to streamline communication between pharmacies and prescribers. The authors have developed technology to deliver contingency management (CM) remotely...
Opioid-associated cardiac arrest: A systematic review of intra-arrest naloxone and other opioid-specific advanced life-support therapies
by Brian Grunau on March 25, 2025
CONCLUSIONS: There is currently no evidence demonstrating benefit for any advanced life support interventions specific to treating cardiac arrest from opioid toxicity. Data examining naloxone for undifferentiated or "drug-related" cardiac arrest are heterogenous with high risk of bias and low certainty of evidence.
Civil Rights Laws for People With Opioid Use Disorder in the Emergency Department
by Anna-Maria South on March 24, 2025
Emergency clinicians frequently care for patients with complications from underlying opioid use disorder. While many clinicians are comfortable addressing the immediate medical complications of opioid use disorder, too many do not offer evidence-based medications that stabilize the patient by alleviating withdrawal and cravings, and that also treat opioid use disorder, the underlying cause of the presentation. Because medication for opioid use disorder, namely methadone and buprenorphine,...
Perioperative Pain Management in Patients Being Treated for Opioid Use Disorder: The Orthopaedic Surgeon's Role and Strategies for Comprehensive Care
by Emily Benson on March 24, 2025
Approximately 280,000 deaths in this country were attributed to opioid overdose between 1999 and 2021, increasing fivefold within this period. Orthopaedic surgeons have had a large contribution to this epidemic; they have been found to be the third highest prescribers of opioid medications. Multiple pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatment options for opioid use disorder (OUD) have been developed. The three most commonly used medications are methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. In part...