Prescription Drug OverdoseA prescription drug overdose is becoming an increasingly common cause of death in the United States and elsewhere. According to the Center for Disease Control, 38,396 Americans died from a drug overdose in 1996. That number is increasing as more people become addicted to prescription drugs.An Ignored ProblemAnd while the prescription drug overdose is on the rise, it's a trend that, unfortunately, has been ignored by the media. A majority of people still think of a drug addiction as a moral issue rather than the disease it is. Plus, most of those who die from a prescription drug overdose are white males, quite possibly the most maligned segment of our society.
Why so Many Deaths from Prescriptions?According to Joshua Lyon, author of Pill Head: The Secret Life of a Painkiller Addict , prescription drug abuse is often a solitary endeavor, unlike drinking or abusing other drugs. Pills take over the addict's life, replacing activities with friends and loved ones. So when the abuser makes a mistake and suffers an overdose, there is usually no one around to notice and call an ambulance.
Abstaining and the Risk of OverdoseThose who have recently been released from prison or who have recently left rehab are also at a much higher of risk for an overdose. That's because their bodies no longer have the same tolerance they once did. If they use at the same levels as before, they could have an opiate overdose and stop breathing.NaloxoneOne drug that can temporarily reverse an opiate overdose and help the addict start breathing again is Naloxone, an antidote to opioids. If given via an intramuscular injection, Naloxone will start working within a minute and will continue working for 45 minutes. It stops the opiates from working on the brain's receptors.Apart from the fact that it stops the effects of opiates, Naloxone has no other side effects and can't be abused. Some proponents want Naloxone made available as an over-the-counter medication. At the very least, they believe doctors should prescribe Naloxone each time they prescribe opioids. But others fear making Naloxone easily available would only encourage drug users to continue using, thinking they have Naloxone on hand should anything goes wrong. Plus, many believe a visit to the emergency room because of an overdose may be the wake up call some addicts need to snap them out of their denial. |
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