Anyone receiving an opioid prescription should speak with their doctor to learn more about the risk of overdose. It discusses what a drug overdose is, why it occurs, and how to prevent it. This article will explain what an overdose is, the signs and symptoms of overdose to watch for in yourself and others, and what to do in case of an overdose. Bondi’s calculation rests on the assumption that 2 milligrams of fentanyl is lethal. However, lethality varies based on a person’s height, weight and tolerance to the drug. It also assumes that all fentanyl seized is pure fentanyl, which is generally not the case.
Health Products
Often, emergency services are not the first people on the scene of an overdose. Increasingly, bystanders, many of whom also use drugs, are administering naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses. The signs and symptoms of overdose are different for each type of drug (e.g., alcohol, common prescriptions, heroin, cocaine, and other hard drugs). For example, alcohol overdose causes slow heart rate, lack of motor skills, and an inability to wake up. One way CDC is working to address drug overdoses is to advance overdose prevention in communities across the country.
This type of overdose can cause heart attacks, strokes, and seizures. A drug overdose drug overdose meaning may occur when an individual consumes too much of a substance. Opioids, stimulants, and other substances can all cause an overdose.
- Opioids make an overdose more likely because of how they function.
- The time between someone taking a number of drugs that may cause an overdose and potential fatality depends on a variety of factors, including the person’s overall health and age.
- If one of our articles is marked with a ‘reviewed for accuracy and expertise’ badge, it indicates that one or more members of our team of doctors and clinicians have reviewed the article further to ensure accuracy.
- If someone you trust is with you and they’re sober, ask them to call 911.
Overdoses of over-the-counter drugs may be even more harmful and irreversible than controlled drugs. An overdose is when someone takes a dangerously large dose of some drug. If it is a legal drug, it may be prescription or over-the-counter.
Drug seizure data often distorted for political aims
An overdose is when a person consumes “over” the recommended or typical dose of a substance. An overdose can be accidental (i.e., you were prescribed a dose of medication, and your body does not handle it as expected), or it may be intentional. A lower risk of overdose toxicity is often the reason doctors prefer one medication over another when both medications are equally effective. In the United States, suspected adverse drug reactions may be voluntarily reported to the FDA via the MedWatch safety reporting program.
Getting medical help quickly can make a big difference in the effectiveness of drug overdose treatment. An overdose can lead to serious medical complications, including death. The severity of a drug overdose depends on the drug, the amount taken, and the physical and medical history of the person who overdosed.
- If you do choose to use a substance, here are some ways to keep you safer from overdose.
- Knowing the signs and symptoms of an overdose and what to do if you think you or someone else may be overdosing is life-saving information.
- Avoid combining prescription medications with other substances, such as alcohol.
- Provide as many details as you can and follow the operator’s instructions while waiting for EMTs to arrive.
- There is no universal scale for describing or measuring the severity of an adverse drug reaction.
Risk factors for accidental overdoses include factors specific to the individual, the environment, and drug characteristics. A lack of education about drugs and improper storage of drugs, particularly leaving drugs in places where children can access them, are other contributing factors. Overdosing on drugs can also be an intentional suicide attempt.
Prevention
Yes, overdosing can be a cause of death, just like a heart attack can. But in many cases, when someone gets medical intervention fast enough for a heart attack, they can be saved. It is imperative that if you or someone you know is experiencing overdose symptoms, you find treatment as soon as possible to prevent any serious life-threatening conditions from occurring. For many, starting the addiction treatment process is the scariest step; however, it’s not the last. Once overdose symptoms are safely managed, and a safe detoxification process is complete, the next step toward recovery can begin. To learn more about the recovery process, contact a treatment provider today.
What Is an Accidental Drug Overdose?
Responding quickly can help prevent serious health consequences. If you misuse drugs, quitting is the best way for you to prevent a drug overdose. Know that certain ways of taking drugs can be riskier than others. Inhaling or injecting drugs may cause them to get to your brain more quickly and also increases your chance of using an amount that can severely harm you. If you think you or someone you may know is experiencing an overdose, the best thing you can do is treat it like an emergency.
Preventing Overdoses
It’s unclear whether the drop in overdose deaths will last and for how long. Her X statement that seizing 22 million pills saved 119 million lives assumes that one pill would be shared by five people — and each of those people then die of an overdose. President Donald Trump’s 100th day in office fell on the same day as National Fentanyl Awareness Day.
Signs and symptoms of an overdose vary depending on the drug or exposure to toxins. This can help one determine what class of drug or toxin is causing the difficulties. In the first two full months of the Trump administration, fentanyl seizures dropped compared to the last full month of Biden’s administration. In December, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 1,200 pounds of fentanyl at U.S. borders. That dropped to 611 pounds and 760 pounds in February and March, respectively. “Bondi’s statements demonstrate profound ignorance about fentanyl and interdiction,” Dr. Ryan Marino, a Case Western Reserve University toxicologist and emergency room physician who studies addiction, said.
Should I go to the hospital if I took too many pills?
A stimulant drug, such as ecstasy, speed or cocaine, will raise the heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure and speed up breathing. This can potentially cause a fatal heart attack, seizure or stroke. Drug overdoses are a serious health issue and a risk for anyone who uses drugs – whether by prescription or recreationally. It’s critical to understand what a drug overdose is, why it occurs and what happens in the body when someone overdoses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), annual rates of death from overdose of synthetic opioids such as tramadol and fentanyl have increased five-fold since the early 2000s. Part of this increase may have to do with the potency of synthetic opioids.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi marked the milestone by crediting Trump with saving a third of the U.S. population from fatal fentanyl overdoses. Treatment will be dictated by the specific drug taken in the overdose. Information provided about amount, time, and underlying medical problems will be very helpful. Illicit drugs, used to get high, may be taken in overdose amounts when a person’s metabolism cannot detoxify the drug fast enough to avoid unintended side effects. Lethal reactions are those in which a drug reaction directly or indirectly caused death. Lethal reactions can be the reasons that some medications are withdrawn from the market.