Contents:
- Medical Video: What are the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose?
- Symptoms that appear during an overdose of painkillers
- Risk factors for overdose of painkillers
Medical Video: What are the signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose?
Pain relievers or also called pain relievers are sometimes misused. Although the goal is to relieve pain, some people actually use it for non-medical purposes. This is evidenced by data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse which states that around 54 million Americans use painkillers not to alleviate their health problems.
In fact, every day more than 115 Americans die from prescribed overdoses of pain relievers such as Vicodin, OxyContin, and Fentanyl. Unfortunately, not only prescription painkillers are dangerous. Pain relievers that are sold freely on the market are also prone to being consumed in excess of the appropriate dosage.
Symptoms that appear during an overdose of painkillers
Prescription painkillers can usually provide a pleasant sensation when consumed for the first time. This is what ultimately makes many people experience addiction. Unfortunately, you will not get the same sensation if you consume the same dose later on. As a result, you need to increase the dose to achieve the highest sensation just like when you first tried it. This condition makes many people overdose.
When you experience an overdose, the body will usually come up with various specific symptoms. The following are various symptoms of overdose of painkillers that need to be watched out for, namely:
- Dizzy
- Fainted
- Sleepy
- Limp body
- Pupils shrink
- Stomach ache
- Nausea and vomiting
- Cold and sweaty skin
- Blood pressure drops dramatically
- Slow and shallow breathing (like fully tired)
- Burning in the throat and stomach
- Make a sound like snoring (snoring)
- Blue lips and pale face and fingertips
- Eye movements that are fast and exceed normal conditions
- Does not respond to external stimuli, for example not answering when called
- Difficulty breathing and slow pulse
- Lost consciousness
Risk factors for overdose of painkillers
Each drug has its own maximum consumption limit. However, each person has a different body tolerance limit. The following are various risk factors that can increase the risk of overdose:
- More than 50 years old.
- Poor mental health conditions.
- Have a history of previous overdose.
- Having dependence on painkillers.
- The dosage prescribed or consumed is higher than recommended.
- Use several prescription painkillers or other substances that suppress the central nervous system such as alcohol.
