Annie, age 16, was brought to the ED after collapsing at home and was nonresponsive with a palpable blood pressure. (This case is a composite based on our experience.) Admission laboratory work showed severe hepatic damage. Annie was being evaluated for liver transplantation when she went into cardiac arrest and died.
A drug screen, received postmortem, showed lethal levels of carbamazepine (Tegretol) and high levels of alcohol, marijuana, and fluoxetine (Prozac). Her parents prescription-drugs-addict-addiction said that Annie, flushed and shaking, had walked into their living room, told them she didn’t feel well, and collapsed. She hadn’t been taking any …show more content…
Her friends had brought other prescription drugs from their homes and dumped them all into a bowl. The teens had each taken a handful, intending merely to see how high they could get. Instead, they had managed to create the deadly cocktail that killed Annie.
06a04da06b8ca57ca2e0455c05b66760According to Graham-Knight and Karck (2007), “Nurses should remain vigilant for indications of overdose or misuse of both illicit and prescription drugs in patients of all ages and social backgrounds.” (p. 79)
In one way or another, we all have a brother, a sister, a cousin, a classmate or even a neighbor who abused drugs. These teens cry out for help, although it may not be a verbal cry. Recognizing the tale tale signs and symptoms in these teens makes a significant difference in the outcome of drug abuse among teenagers. The best we can do to help recognize and prevent drug abuse among teenagers is to equip our selves with knowledge so we can help them early, before the situation gets out of
A drug screen, received postmortem, showed lethal levels of carbamazepine (Tegretol) and high levels of alcohol, marijuana, and fluoxetine (Prozac). Her parents prescription-drugs-addict-addiction said that Annie, flushed and shaking, had walked into their living room, told them she didn’t feel well, and collapsed. She hadn’t been taking any …show more content…
Her friends had brought other prescription drugs from their homes and dumped them all into a bowl. The teens had each taken a handful, intending merely to see how high they could get. Instead, they had managed to create the deadly cocktail that killed Annie.
06a04da06b8ca57ca2e0455c05b66760According to Graham-Knight and Karck (2007), “Nurses should remain vigilant for indications of overdose or misuse of both illicit and prescription drugs in patients of all ages and social backgrounds.” (p. 79)
In one way or another, we all have a brother, a sister, a cousin, a classmate or even a neighbor who abused drugs. These teens cry out for help, although it may not be a verbal cry. Recognizing the tale tale signs and symptoms in these teens makes a significant difference in the outcome of drug abuse among teenagers. The best we can do to help recognize and prevent drug abuse among teenagers is to equip our selves with knowledge so we can help them early, before the situation gets out of