Drug overdose

Drug overdose is a major public health concern. Among all the drug-related deaths, the opioid class of drug is a significant cause of overdose-related fatalities. According to the World Drug Report (2016), roughly a third to a half of all drug-related deaths are due to overdose, and of those, opioids are the most common substance. Canada has also been ranked as the second largest consumer of prescription opioids in the world with a 203% increase in usage between 2000 and 2010 (International Narcotics Control Board, 2011). With the number of opioid-related deaths rapidly growing, it is extremely important for patients, doctors and pharmacists to realize the problem and develop a solution to treat this severe national-wide opioid crisis. Opioids are substances collected from the seed pod of the opium poppy that grows in southern Asia (Canadian Drug Policy Coalition, 2013). They are commonly known as “painkillers”…

Engaging the Community in Assessment and Decision Making: Prescription Drug Overdose In today’s world, many people are dying in the United States because of prescription drug overdoses. “Every 19 minutes, someone in the United States dies from an unintentional prescription drug overdose. One major contributing factor to the rise in such deaths is the increased use of opioid analgesics” (APHA, 2015). What is alarming is that even though these prescriptions were given for a medical reason, they…

Also according to the CDC in that same year there were 22,767 deaths due to prescription drug overdoses. Of these overdoses 16,235 were from opioid painkillers and 6,973 were benzodiazepines also known as sedative/muscle relaxants (cdc). Why is it that drunk driving fatalities seem to garner more attention nation wide that prescription drug overdoses do? You would think that the one with the higher death toll would attract more attention, would you not? Yet each year it seems that this tragic…

Center in Concord from a heroin overdose, her acquaintance failed to call 911 before fleeing the scene. That day Mrs. Spisak was pronounced dead. As these heroin related deaths continue to rise this is becoming a concern for failing to seek medical attention at the scene of an overdose. Spisak, 22, a resident of Concord was at her acquaintances home when she was lethally injected with heroin. She is survived by her parents, Jim and Lisa Spisak; brother Mike Spisak and sister Megan Spisak.…

In the United States individuals die every day due to heroin overdose. Heroin can be practically found anywhere nowadays, and the use and effects of it can cause serious consequence to a person’s health. Heroin is derived from morphine alkaloid which is found in opium and is approximately 2-3 times more potent (Drugs.com, 2015). Heroin in many cases is a white powdery substance. In other cases is has been seen as a black sticky substance known as “black tar heroin.” (National Institute on Drug…

trauma nurse, I frequently encounter patients who are in agonizing acute pain. Many times it is the first time in their lives they have faced such pain. The health care team strives to manage their pain properly, but a careful balance is required while considering the effects of long-term opioid use. Health care providers must be considerate of the weaning process and monitoring patients to make sure addiction does not occur, especially in patients with a history of substance abuse.…

Introduction Opioids are substances derived from the opium poppy, or engineered analogs with similar impacts. Some drugs in this class are morphine, heroin, tramadol, oxycodone and methadone. Opioids can possibly bring about substance dependence that is portrayed by a powerful urge to take opioids, disabled control over opioid use, relentless opioid use notwithstanding destructive results, a higher need given to opioid use than to different exercises and commitments, expanded resistance, and a…

The most important thing to ever happen to me is without a doubt the death of my father. That moment in time has, and will, continue to shape my life until the day I die. A lot of people assume I miss him. I don 't. (How horrible does that sound?) It 's not that I don 't like him because I do, I just find it hard to miss someone I never had. I don 't know him, I don 't know if he has a middle name, I don 't know what he liked to do in his spare time, and I don 't even know when his birthday was.…

Introduction Death investigation require strict adherence to guidelines. Investigations must search for clues to determine a death as natural, suicide, or homicide. The investigator is the eyes and ears of the forensic pathologist at the scene. The investigator must do their best to find answers for families who have lost loved ones. (A Guide to Death Scene Investigation. (n.d.) The Types of Murder When determining how the death occurred there are four modes- accidental, natural, suicide, and…

Nysha Moore Negligent Drug Overdose 1. Describe the elements that the plaintiff’s attorney had to establish under the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur. Res ipsa loquitur is a legal doctrine that shifts the burden of proof in a negligence case from the plaintiff to the defendant (Pozgar & Santucci, 2015, p. 156, para. 12). The American translation is “the thing speaks for itself” (Pozgar & Santucci, 2015, p. 156, para. 12). Under the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur, the plaintiff must be able to…