Overdose
From Drug Rehab Wiki
An overdose can be either accidental or intentional, but is defined as an individual taking more of a substance than is medically recommended. Also simply referred to as an “OD,” a drug overdose is a highly critical medical emergency as it can cause increased toxicity in the affected individual, create an altered state of consciousness, induce coma, induce heart or respiratory failure, or result in death.
Side effects and level of severity is dependent upon the type of drug ingested, the amount ingested, the level of tolerance in the individual, and the possible combination with other substances. Some drug overdoses may just produce heightened side effects since the drug’s toxicity may not be very powerful, while other drug overdoses can quickly proceed to lethal amounts and result in death.
A drug overdose is different from poisoning, which is the ingestion, inhalation, absorption, or injection of a substance that interferes with the body’s normal functioning. Drugs, on the other hand, may be administered at safe levels to produce regular and effective results, while poisons are always harmful or destructive, causing injury or impairment of the body or death. Indications of drug overdose include changes to body temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure, dilation of the pupils, and diaphoresis. Other symptoms may include clammy skin, hot and dry skin, abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, chest pain, labored breathing, headache, disorientation, sleepiness, and coma. Asphyxiation can occur if the individual inhales vomit into their lungs while asleep or in a coma. Also, the presence of blood in one’s vomit or bowel movements can be life threatening.
Drug overdoses can be caused by both licit and illicit drugs. Instances of overdose including licit drugs may be caused by abuse or misuse of prescription medication; medication combined with other substances (such as alcohol or cocaine); or medication taken by mistake, as in accidental ingestion by children. Intentional misuse of drugs, often involving medication, is a common mechanism for suicide. Instances of drug overdose involving illicit drugs may be caused by the use of a substance to obtain mind-altering experiences, unknown levels of purity in the substance, amounts taken in succession, the combination of multiple drugs, or use of an illicit drug after a period of abstinence. Habitual drug use will cause an individual to develop higher levels of tolerance, leading them to increase the amount taken each time to achieve the desirable high. Often, evaluating dosages of drugs such as crack cocaine and heroin can be indeterminable and often results in overdose when too much is mistakenly ingested or injected.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drug overdose has become the second leading cause of unintentional injury in the country as of 2008, subsequent only to motor vehicle fatalities. More middle-aged adults are now dying of drug overdoses than deaths related to vehicular accidents. In 1999, the number of deaths in the U.S. related to drug overdoses was approximated at 11,000; this number increased to nearly 22,400 in 2005, and only accounts deaths related to intentional and unintentional drug overdoses that do not include alcohol poisoning. The greatest contributor to this increase is due to overdoses related to prescription painkillers. Some common misconceptions portray prescription medication overdoses as involving toddlers or the elderly mixing medication, yet statistics are showing that working-age adults are the leading group affected by this type of overdose, particular from prescription opioid medications. Intentional misuse of drugs may also be involved in cases of self-harm, such as individuals suffering from a mental disorder, and should be considered a suicide attempt.
Treatment for overdose can be managed by a medical professional, emergency hospital staff, or a poison control center, and assistance should be sought immediately. In life-threatening cases, an ambulance should be contacted and the individual should be transported to a local hospital’s emergency ward. It may difficult to determine overdose without a medical examination, or to fully be aware of what drugs were taken and how much the individual ingested. A medical professional will need to measure the individual’s level of toxicity through blood tests, monitor their organ systems, and accurately administer preventive treatment.
