Overdoses in Federal Drug Trafficking Crimes United States Sentencing Commission

If you’ve taken more than the recommended amount of a drug or enough to have a harmful effect on your body’s functions, you have overdosed. Drug overdose is when a person ingests more the recommended, safe, or typical dose of a prescription medication, recreational drug, or illicit substance. It may happen accidentally or intentionally; both are emergencies. It can be difficult to determine if someone is overdosing, but erring on the side of caution can save a life.

To prevent an overdose, follow a doctor’s directions for all prescription medications. With the right care and prevention strategies, it is possible to treat drug overdoses or prevent them altogether. Although many drug overdoses involve the use of illegal drugs, it is also possible to overdose on prescription medication. Many doctors prescribe opioid medications for pain management. These medications carry a high risk of addiction and overdose, especially if taken outside a doctor’s directions. This can include taking any amount of someone else’s medication or more than the doctor prescribed.

If a suicide attempt was the reason for the overdose, psychiatry services may need to be consulted. A drug overdose can occur after an individual takes too much of a medication or substance. The leading cause of drug overdoses today is opioid medications. Stimulants, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can also lead to drug overdose.

It discusses what a drug overdose is, why it occurs, and how to prevent it. The rate of deaths from drug overdose has increased steadily over the past couple of decades. All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This happens because opioids fit into specific receptors that also affect the drive to breathe.

What are the risk factors for drug overdose?

Providing supportive care, administering medication such as naloxone, and calling 911 can all help treat certain types of drug overdose. Addressing a substance use disorder can help decrease the chance of a drug overdose. Anyone experiencing a substance use disorder should seek treatment to address their symptoms. Treatment may involve therapy, certain medications, or rehabilitation programs.

Health Conditions

• This oxygen starvation eventually stops other vital organs like the heart, then the brain.
• Recognizing the symptoms of a drug overdose is crucial to treating this reaction.
• The doctor may order laboratory tests based on the organ systems that can be harmed by the specific drug overdose to make a diagnosis.
• The cause of a drug overdose is either by accidental overuse or by intentional misuse.
• If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 for support and assistance from a trained counselor.

When taking a prescription medication, always follow a doctor’s instructions and take the medication exactly as they prescribed it. When in doubt about the correct dosage, consult with a doctor or pharmacist. The following are some questions people frequently ask about drug overdose. Of course, moderating the consumption of alcohol and other substances can be challenging for individuals with a substance use disorder. This chronic condition involves the ongoing overuse of a substance. To avoid an alcohol overdose, avoid drinking excessive amounts of alcohol in a short time.

How Can People Prevent an Accidental or Purposeful Drug Overdose?

If someone can not breathe or is not breathing enough, the oxygen levels in the blood decrease and the lips and fingers turn blue- this meaning of overdose is called cyanosis. This oxygen starvation eventually stops other vital organs like the heart, then the brain. Symptoms, treatment, and recovery depend on the specific drug involved.

Treatment

Drinking a lot of alcohol in a short time (binge drinking) can rapidly increase the amount of alcohol in the blood. This makes it difficult for the body to remove alcohol from the bloodstream and can harm other body parts. Even after administering this medication, it is crucial to take anyone experiencing an opioid overdose to the emergency room. There are a range of treatments available for different kinds of drug overdose. Anyone receiving an opioid prescription should speak with their doctor to learn more about the risk of overdose.

Alcohol and drugs

The doctor may order laboratory tests based on the organ systems that can be harmed by the specific drug overdose to make a diagnosis. Not all overdoses are fatal or life threatening, however medical advice should always be sought if overdose is suspected or has occurred. Avoid combining prescription medications with other substances, such as alcohol. Do not share a prescription or take medications prescribed to another individual.

When an opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone hydrochloride should be administered as soon as possible to reverse the effects of an overdose. Do not leave it up to the person to tell you they are overdosing; they may not know or not be able to communicate it to you. When it comes to drug overdose, being proactive is essential to reversing overdose and preventing death. If you see these signs of overdose, do not abandon the person out of fear of getting in trouble. Symptoms of vitamin overdose can range from mild (stomach upset or a skin rash) to severe (liver damage, seizures, or stroke).

Seek immediate medical help by calling 911 or taking them to an emergency unit. If you aren’t sure if someone is overdosing, it’s best to act as if they are by seeking emergency help. Vitamins are nutrients that can be obtained through the diet or as dietary supplements.

Word of the Day

Content on this website is provided for information purposes only. The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Within 3-5 minutes without oxygen, brain damage starts to occur, soon followed by death. With opioid overdoses, surviving or dying wholly depends on breathing and oxygen. Fortunately, this process is rarely instantaneous; people slowly stop breathing which usually happens minutes to hours after the drug was used.

Everyone who suffers an overdose needs to be seen by his or her doctor for follow-up. In part this is to ensure that there are no delayed injuries to any organ system. It is also to make sure that prevention against a recurrence is in place. Treatment will be dictated by the specific drug taken in the overdose.

For some accidental drug overdoses, the local poison control center may recommend home therapy and observation. Because of the potential for problems after some overdoses, syrup of ipecac or other therapies should not be given unless directed by a medical professional. A drug overdose is taking too much of a substance, whether it’s prescription, over-the-counter, legal, or illegal.

If you have children in the house, make sure that all medications, both prescription and over-the-counter, are kept well out of reach. After calling 911, stay with the individual experiencing an alcohol overdose. If they begin vomiting, help them lean forward so they do not choke. Alternatively, if they have lost consciousness, an individual can place them in the recovery position.

Getting the right amount of vitamins is necessary for your body to function properly. 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. Sometimes it’s unclear if an overdose was accidental or intentional. Always seek treatment for paracetamol overdose immediately, even if the person seems well. Increased access to these drugs is thought to be a major factor contributing to the first significant reduction in national overdose deaths to occur since 2018. For concert promoters who have rightly focused on preventing opioid overdoses, fans’ nitrous use may call for fresh attention.