Why Do Drug Overdose?
Kenneth Jenkins
Drug overdose was responsible for 38,329 deaths in the US in 2010. US overdose deaths have increase the past 11 years. In 2010 is the third year in a row the number of US citizens whose deaths were related exceeded the number of fatalities in road traffic accidents. Over the last decade opioids analgesic overdoses have claimed over 125,000 lives. The definition of an overdose is the accidental or intentional use of a drug or medicine in an amount that is higher than normally used. “In 2010 of the 38,329-drug overdose deaths in the United States 22,134 (60%) were related to pharmaceuticals. Of the 22,134 deaths relating to prescription drugs 16,652 (75%) involved opioid analgesics, and 6,497 (30%) involved benzodiazepines” …show more content…
(Foundation for a drug free world, 2012). Among the risk factors for drug overdose men were nearly twice as likely as women to die. American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest death rate, followed by whites then blacks. The highest death rates were among people 45-49. There is severe cost associated with prescription opioid abuse, which costs about 55.7 billion dollars in 2007.
Tolerances to a drug can drop quickly for several reasons such as not used in a while (jail or rehab).
Half-life is hidden dangers of prescription. Half-life refers to the time it takes for a drug to drop to half strength of its original dose. Some drugs have longer half-life then others where there can be active medication in the body a day later, which can affect whatever else, is ingested that is how people mix drugs without even knowing it. There are different four different classes of drugs that are commonly abused and aid in overdose deaths.
Uppers are stimulants that affect most of the basic processes that happen in your body that keep you alive like temperature, heart rate and breathing. They also release massive amounts of endorphins to the pleasure/reward center in the brain, which means they have a high potential for drug use. Uppers include caffeine, nicotine, Adderall, cocaine and amphetamines. Downers like uppers affect most basic processes that happen in the body to keep it alive by slowing or inhibiting processes causing sedation, disinhibiting of emotions and impulses, muscle relation and drowsiness. Unlike uppers downers take effect through many process in the body. Because of this there are three major classes of downers: opiates/opioids; sedative-hypnotics; and …show more content…
alcohol. Opioids, benzodiazepines and alcohol are all depressants, which means they slow the central nervous system including breathing and heart rate.
Benzodiazepines are used medically to reduce anxiety. Taken in high doses or in conjunction with alcohol can slow your breathing to dangerous levels or stop it all together. Some symptoms of benzodiazepines overdose are shallow breathing, blue lips or fingertips, no response to stimulus, disorientation or unconsciousness.
Sedative-Hypnotics this is a downer that can induce sleep and depress most body functions like breathing and muscular coordination and cause the user to experience relaxation and lowered inhibition. Commonly abused sedatives are Xanax, Nembutal, Valium and Halcion All-Arounders are a substance that has been getting recent attention lately. This group of substance distorts the users perception of reality by manipulating the brains interpretation of the senses. The users brain experiences sensory messages that are intensified and often mixed up. Impaired judgment and reasoning are often some of the side affects. LSD, MDMA Mushrooms, K2, Bath salts,
PCP
Alcohol is often overlooked as an overdose because alcohol is part of our social norm. Acute alcohol poisoning which is usually a result of binge drinking, our bodies can only process one unit of alcohol an hour. When drinking quickly your BAC may become dangerously high which could stop you from breathing, stop your heart or cause you to choke on your own vomit. Signs of alcohol overdose are disorientation, loss of coordination, vomiting, seizures, blue-tined or pale skin, low body temperature.
Drug overdoses affect many lives nationally. There is overwhelming data that drug overdoses are troublesome and costly to the economy. Ad campaigns and public awareness is the mission to help start a downward trend in overdose deaths. Only time will tell if these measures are effective. This problem is increasing and in till the economy improves or stabilizes the epidemic of overdosing will continue.
Bibliography
UCSB alcohol & drug program. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://alcohol.sa.ucsb.edu/Students/InfoAlcoholnDrug/Drugclassifications.aspx
Center for disease control. (2013, July 13). CDC - prescription painkiller overdoses. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/rxbrief/
Drug war facts. (2013, June 22). Retrieved from http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/58
Foundation for a drug free world. (2012, September 15). Statistics of prescription drugs. Retrieved from http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription/abuse-international-statistics.html
Wikipedia. (2005, May 11). Drug overdose. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_overdose
International overdose day. (2013, March 05). Facts and stats international overdose day. Retrieved from http://www.overdoseday.com/facts-stats/
Drug overdose was responsible for 38,329 deaths in the US in 2010. US overdose deaths have increase the past 11 years. In 2010 is the third year in a row the number of US citizens whose deaths were related exceeded the number of fatalities in road traffic accidents. Over the last decade opioids analgesic overdoses have claimed over 125,000 lives. The definition of an overdose is the accidental or intentional use of a drug or medicine in an amount that is higher than normally used. “In 2010 of the 38,329-drug overdose deaths in the United States 22,134 (60%) were related to pharmaceuticals. Of the 22,134 deaths relating to prescription drugs 16,652 (75%) involved opioid analgesics, and 6,497 (30%) involved benzodiazepines” …show more content…
(Foundation for a drug free world, 2012). Among the risk factors for drug overdose men were nearly twice as likely as women to die. American Indians/Alaska Natives had the highest death rate, followed by whites then blacks. The highest death rates were among people 45-49. There is severe cost associated with prescription opioid abuse, which costs about 55.7 billion dollars in 2007.
Tolerances to a drug can drop quickly for several reasons such as not used in a while (jail or rehab).
Half-life is hidden dangers of prescription. Half-life refers to the time it takes for a drug to drop to half strength of its original dose. Some drugs have longer half-life then others where there can be active medication in the body a day later, which can affect whatever else, is ingested that is how people mix drugs without even knowing it. There are different four different classes of drugs that are commonly abused and aid in overdose deaths.
Uppers are stimulants that affect most of the basic processes that happen in your body that keep you alive like temperature, heart rate and breathing. They also release massive amounts of endorphins to the pleasure/reward center in the brain, which means they have a high potential for drug use. Uppers include caffeine, nicotine, Adderall, cocaine and amphetamines. Downers like uppers affect most basic processes that happen in the body to keep it alive by slowing or inhibiting processes causing sedation, disinhibiting of emotions and impulses, muscle relation and drowsiness. Unlike uppers downers take effect through many process in the body. Because of this there are three major classes of downers: opiates/opioids; sedative-hypnotics; and …show more content…
alcohol. Opioids, benzodiazepines and alcohol are all depressants, which means they slow the central nervous system including breathing and heart rate.
Benzodiazepines are used medically to reduce anxiety. Taken in high doses or in conjunction with alcohol can slow your breathing to dangerous levels or stop it all together. Some symptoms of benzodiazepines overdose are shallow breathing, blue lips or fingertips, no response to stimulus, disorientation or unconsciousness.
Sedative-Hypnotics this is a downer that can induce sleep and depress most body functions like breathing and muscular coordination and cause the user to experience relaxation and lowered inhibition. Commonly abused sedatives are Xanax, Nembutal, Valium and Halcion All-Arounders are a substance that has been getting recent attention lately. This group of substance distorts the users perception of reality by manipulating the brains interpretation of the senses. The users brain experiences sensory messages that are intensified and often mixed up. Impaired judgment and reasoning are often some of the side affects. LSD, MDMA Mushrooms, K2, Bath salts,
PCP
Alcohol is often overlooked as an overdose because alcohol is part of our social norm. Acute alcohol poisoning which is usually a result of binge drinking, our bodies can only process one unit of alcohol an hour. When drinking quickly your BAC may become dangerously high which could stop you from breathing, stop your heart or cause you to choke on your own vomit. Signs of alcohol overdose are disorientation, loss of coordination, vomiting, seizures, blue-tined or pale skin, low body temperature.
Drug overdoses affect many lives nationally. There is overwhelming data that drug overdoses are troublesome and costly to the economy. Ad campaigns and public awareness is the mission to help start a downward trend in overdose deaths. Only time will tell if these measures are effective. This problem is increasing and in till the economy improves or stabilizes the epidemic of overdosing will continue.
Bibliography
UCSB alcohol & drug program. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://alcohol.sa.ucsb.edu/Students/InfoAlcoholnDrug/Drugclassifications.aspx
Center for disease control. (2013, July 13). CDC - prescription painkiller overdoses. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/rxbrief/
Drug war facts. (2013, June 22). Retrieved from http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/58
Foundation for a drug free world. (2012, September 15). Statistics of prescription drugs. Retrieved from http://www.drugfreeworld.org/drugfacts/prescription/abuse-international-statistics.html
Wikipedia. (2005, May 11). Drug overdose. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_overdose
International overdose day. (2013, March 05). Facts and stats international overdose day. Retrieved from http://www.overdoseday.com/facts-stats/