Overdose: What Is It And How Does It Happen?

Due to the potential euphoric effects of stimulants, the urge for continued use becomes difficult to ignore and can create situations in which high-risk overdose events may occur. Sedative-specific medications are used to sedate the body to reduce stress and assist with sleep and are often quite powerful in their effect. Opioid overdose is the largest representation of drug-related overdoses within the US. Typically, anything above .16% (that is, .16% of your blood containing alcohol) results in serious symptoms like loss of consciousness, blackouts, and impairment of cognitive functioning. Alcohol overdose is generally referred to as alcohol poisoning in the medical community. Even substances that we consume every day, like caffeine, can cause an overdose, although it usually requires so much that it is unlikely to occur.

The drug naloxone (Narcan) can also help treat an opioid overdose by blocking opioids’ effects in the body. Among people 25 to 64 years old, drug overdose caused more deaths than motor vehicle traffic crashes. From 1999 to Feb 2019 in the United States, more than 770,000 people have died from drug overdoses. 22 people out of every 100,000 died from drug overdoses in 2019 in the US. The U.S. drug overdose death rate has gone from 2.5 per 100,000 people in 1968 to the peak rate of 33.2 per 100,000 in 2022. The distribution of naloxone to injection drug users and other opioid drug users decreases the risk of death from overdose.

Stimulants, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can also lead to drug overdose. Anyone experiencing symptoms of an overdose should seek emergency medical care immediately. The following are some questions people frequently ask about drug overdose.

Addressing a substance use disorder can help decrease the chance of a drug overdose. Even after administering this medication, it is crucial to take anyone experiencing an opioid overdose to the emergency room. There are a range of treatments available for different kinds of drug overdose. A doctor can help recognize the signs of drug overdose and provide treatment recommendations.

Immediate care

• Many people who are directed to go to the emergency department may not develop any physical signs of poisoning.
• Signs and symptoms of an overdose vary depending on the drug, its ingredients, the amount consumed, and exposure to toxins.
• Overdosing on CNS depressants can lead to respiratory failure, coma, and death.
• Heroin, morphine, and codeine are narcotic or opiate drugs.

People who suffer from depression and who have suicidal thoughts are also at high risk for drug overdose. Taken in combination with other drugs or with alcohol, even drugs normally considered safe do cause death or serious long-term consequences. Some anti-epileptic medications can also prevent the effects of convulsions and seizures brought on by stimulant overdose. People who take more than one CNS depressant (like drinking alcohol while on opioid painkillers) have a much higher risk of overdose. CNS depressants include benzodiazepines, alcohol, and opioids, all of which have a sedative effect on the brain and body which causes reduced anxiety and creates a euphoric, calming effect in the user.

Suicide prevention

Synthetic, or “designer,” drugs refer to a wide-ranging category of manmade illicit drugs. Though not as common as the other substances on this list, it is still something to be aware of to ensure proper care is provided as needed. With that increased potency are more examples of cannabis toxicity, or cannabis overdose symptoms, being seen in hospital settings. Cannabis, or marijuana, is a substance that many people find harmless to consume. This can result in a mixed substance overdose potential.

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A serious risk is that the patient will stop breathing (respiratory arrest). Pinpoint pupils, where the black centers of the eyes become smaller than normal, are common in opiate overdose. Severe toxicity can lead to seizures, abnormal heart rhythms, extremely high blood pressure , and coma. Dilated pupils, an inability to urinate, and mental disturbances are also symptoms.

Emergency care

• The distribution of naloxone to injection drug users and other opioid drug users decreases the risk of death from overdose.
• Overdose symptoms can include slowed breathing, very low blood pressure, stupor, coma, shock , and death.
• Treatment may involve therapy, certain medications, or rehabilitation programs.
• Some anti-epileptic medications can also prevent the effects of convulsions and seizures brought on by stimulant overdose.

A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. However, an overdose can be deadly or can result in permanent brain damage if treatment is delayed. Depending on the drug, or drugs taken, multiple organs may be affected.

General Health

Several factors can increase the risk of a drug overdose. When it comes to drug overdose, being proactive is essential to reversing overdose and preventing death. In a 2020 study, 75% of overdose deaths involved a prescription or illicit opioid, including 62% that involved a synthetic opioid other than methadone, such as fentanyl.

Overdoses involving opioids are common when synthetic opiates like fentanyl or heroin are being used. Alcohol poisoning is not uncommon for those who consume multiple alcoholic beverages a day over time. Additionally, there are many other factors that can impact how and when an overdose can occur. Overdose-related deaths have increased by 31% from 2019 to 2020, highlighting an alarming spike in what are otherwise preventable deaths. While the opioid crisis continues to take a heavy toll, fentanyl remains a major driver, contributing to the majority of these fatalities.

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Edmund has an extensive background in SUD research and medical writing, working collaboratively with doctors, substance use disorder specialists, and clinical experts across all content on Recovered. Overdoses can cause long-term damage to the brain and body and can even lead to death. If you suspect you or someone you know is having an overdose, then you should contact medical professionals immediately. Overdoses from psychedelics are rare and usually only occur when other substances are present.

Negative drug-drug interactions drug overdose meaning have sometimes been misdiagnosed as an acute drug overdose, occasionally leading to the assumption of suicide. A person experiencing an opioid overdose might also have muscle spasms, seizures and decreased consciousness. Opioid overdoses can also cause pinpoint pupils, and blue lips and nails due to low levels of oxygen in the blood.

Treatment

The first step when responding to an overdose of any kind is to contact emergency services. This can include taking any amount of someone else’s medication or more than the doctor prescribed. Addiction Center is not a medical provider or treatment facility and does not provide medical advice. Once overdose symptoms are safely managed, and a safe detoxification process is complete, the next step toward recovery can begin. All these substances are considered highly dangerous as there is rarely any standardization to them. Many variations of these substances can be found on the internet or even in local convenience stores due to there being little to no regulation guiding their production.

Call 911 or visit an emergency room as soon as possible. This medication is available in a nasal spray and as an intravenous injection at the hospital. Learn about the links between depression and substance misuse.

If you suspect someone has overdosed, contact the emergency services immediately. EMedicineHealth does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Intentional overdoses are harder to prevent, unless the underlying problems are addressed. Treatment will be dictated by the specific drug taken in the overdose. Many people who are directed to go to the emergency department may not develop any physical signs of poisoning.

Which Types of Doctors Treat a Drug Overdose?

You should call if you have any questions about an overdose, poisoning, or poison prevention. An overdose may be mild, moderate, or serious. Your health care provider may refer to an overdose as an ingestion. If the overdose happens by mistake, it is called an accidental overdose. If you take too much of something on purpose, it is called an intentional or deliberate overdose. Seek support for any instances of a substance use disorder.