Narcotics addiction
TREATMENT
OVERDOSE
High doe of opiates,whether taken in a slayer attempt or accidentally when the potency is misjudged,are frequently lethal.Toxicity occurs directly after IV administration and with a variable delay aftr oral ingestion.Symptoms include miosis,shallow respiration,bradycardia,hypovolemia,stupor or coma ,and pulmonary edema.Treatment requires viscus support and administration of the painkiller opposer naloxone,because the personalty of Narcan diminish in 2 - 3 hours compared with longer-lasting personalty of herion ( up to 24 hrs ) or narcotic ( upto 72 hrs) patients staleness be obseved for at least 1-3 life for reappearance of the cyanogenic state.
WITHDRAWAL
One communication of withdrawal requires administration of some opiod (e.g 10 -25 mg of narcotic ) on period 1 to modification symptoms.After several life of a stable take dose,the opiod is then decreased by 10 -20 % of the example day's pane ech day.However detoxification with opiods is prescribed or limited in most states. Thus pharmacologic communication often edifice on relief of symptoms of diarrhea with loperamide of 'sniffles'with decongestant and discompose with non opiod analgesic (e.g ibuprofen).Comfort crapper be enhanced with administration of the adrenergic agonist,t decreases likable troubled grouping overactivity.Blood pressure staleness be closely monitored.Some clinicians augment this regimen with low to medium doses of benzodiazepines for 2- 5 life to modification agitation.
OPIOID MAINTENANCE
Methadone fix is a widely used communication strategy in the management of painkiller addiction.Methadone is a daylong acting opiod.
OPIOID ANTAGONIST
The opiod antagonis (e.g naltrexone )compete with herion and other opiods at receptors,reducing the personalty of the opiod agonist.Administered over daylong periods with the intention o interference the opiod 'high' these drugs crapper be useful as part of an overall communication approach that includes counsellin and support.Naltrexone is also more effective.To refrain precepitating a withdrawal syndrome,patients staleness be liberated of opiods for a minimum of 5 life before begining communication with naltrexone and should be challenged with short acting agent nalxone to be destined they crapper temperament the daylong antagonists.
DRUG FREE PROGRAM
Most opiod dependent individuals start communication programs based primarily on the cognitive activity approaches of enhancing commitment and preventing relapse.Whether carried discover in inpatient or outpatient settings,patients do not rceive medications
PREVENTION
Except for the terminally ill,physicians should carefully monitor opiod take ingest in their patients,keeping doses as low as is applicatory and administering them over as short a period as the level of discompose would warrant in the average person.Physicians staleness be vigilant regarding their own venture for opiod abuse and dependence,never prescribing these drugs for themselves.For the nonmedical intrvenous take dependent person,all possible efforts staleness be prefabricated to preclude AIDS,hepatitis ,bacterial endocarditis and oher consequenses of septic needles both through narcotic fix and by considering needle exchange programs.