People with reduced tolerance to opioids (e.g. those released from prison, discharged from inpatient or residential detoxification, or have stopped dependent opioid use);
Drug users who use on their own (fatal overdose risk increased).
An ambulance should be called in all cases of suspected overdose.
The Pharmaceutical Journal, PJ, 2 May 2015, Vol 294, No 7860;294(7860):DOI:10.1211/
PJ.2015.20068355
If someone has taken heroin, methadone or another opiate and overdoses don’t assume they will come round.
Problem with attention (This could mean the person is inattentive and does not focus or that he or she can focus on tasks but at the expense of all else — failure to shift attention.)?
Disorganised thinking (such as not being able to remember things or being confused)?
Altered level of consciousness (hyper-alertness and on edge, or sluggish, drowsy or withdrawn)?
Change is sudden and/or does it fluctuate over hours or days?
Horner syndrome – (especially those who inject themselves regularly when one attempts to inject into the deep veins of their neck known as a ‘pocket shot’).
Mediastinitis – swelling and irritation (inflammation) of the chest area between the lungs (especially those who inject themselves regularly when one attempts to inject into the deep veins of their neck known as a ‘pocket shot’).
Spinal epidural abscess – bacterial abscess develop along the spinal chord this can lead to fever, back pain, muscle weakness, bowel and bladder dysfunction, nerve problems and/or sepsis.
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Heroin and/or Opioid Medication Overdose in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
The Pharmaceutical Journal covers analysis, features, opinion, learning and careers articles, providing insight and knowledge about drugs, pharmacy practice, medicines use and healthcare policy in the context of the pharmacy profession and pharmaceutical science.
