📈 Opioids, the Rising Epidemic

🌎 The opioid epidemic has been a growing concern for years. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids, including prescription and heroin, have killed more than 932, 000 people in the United States since 1999. More recently, in 2020, 75% of the drug overdose leading to death involved opioids. people die from opioid overdose daily.

What are opioids?

🚫 Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as prescription pain relievers oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine and fentanyl. Opioids are chemically related and interact with the nervous system to produce euphoria and relieve pain.

What are the symptoms of an opioid overdose?

🥴 Confusion/delirium

🛏 Extreme sleepiness/inability to wake up

😷 Nausea/vomiting

🚽 Constipation

👁 Pinpoint pupils

✋🏼 Cold or clammy skin

💨 Slow/irregular breathing

Depressed breathing is the most dangerous side effect of opioid overdose. If a person suffering an opioid overdose is left alone and falls asleep, the person could die due to depressed breathing.

Prevent the opioid epidemic spread:

💊 Treatment - Medication assisted treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine

💉 Prevent overdose - more access to naloxone, a life saving opioid overdose reversal drug

💻 Prescription drug monitoring programs - monitor suspected abuse or diversion

👪 Youth substance abuse prevention- family or school-based programs

📖 Patient education - safe storage and disposal of prescription opioids

🏥 Supervised injection sites - over 100 sites in the world, there are none in the US

Have you or anyone you know struggled with opioids? Leave a comment below.

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