Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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First Aid for Drug Abuse
- Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
- Symptoms & Signs
- Diagnosis & Tests
- Prevention & Expectations
- Treatment & Monitoring
- Attribution
Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
Drug abuse is defined as the misuse or overuse of any legal or illegal drug. These drugs include alcohol, over-the-counter medicines, and prescription medicines.
What are the causes and risks of the injury?
A drug overdose or drug abuse can result from the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter medicines, illegal drugs, or alcohol. Commonly abused drugs are:
Narcotics usually cause drowsiness and can cause coma. A person who has been abusing narcotics will require more and more of the drug to get the desired effect. Stopping the drug causes significant anxiety.
Uppers such as stimulants and amphetamines are used to stay awake, to lose weight, or just to get high. These cause excitement, rapid heartbeat, and rapid breathing.
Depressants, or downers, cause people to slow down. Some of these drugs are alcohol, benzodiazepines, and barbiturates.
Mind-altering drugs cause extreme fear or paranoia, hallucinations, aggressive behavior, extreme social withdrawal, and mental breakdown. Marijuana also alters the mind. These drugs usually produce effects such as wide pupils, redness around the eyes, and slurred speech.
In some people, illegal drugs can interact with prescription or over-the-counter medicines. This causes symptoms that seem like those of an overdose. These drug interactions can have serious side effects.
Alcohol, although legal, can react with many prescription and over-the-counter medicines and depress the central nervous system. A person who overdoses on alcohol has slurred speech, slow movement, and nonreactive pupils. The combination of certain drugs with alcohol can be deadly.
Symptoms & Signs
What are the signs and symptoms of the injury?
Overdose symptoms include:
Symptoms associated with drug withdrawal include:
Diagnosis & Tests
How is the injury recognized?
The diagnosis is made by examining the person and asking about drug intake if the person is conscious. Blood and urine tests may be ordered. However, healthcare providers cannot check the blood or urine of a conscious person without his or her consent. The only time consent is not necessary is when a person is unconscious. In this case, it is legal to check a person's blood or urine for illicit and prescription drugs to make a diagnosis and begin treatment.
Prevention & Expectations
What can be done to prevent the injury?
To prevent drug overdose or abuse, a person should:
Treatment & Monitoring
What are the treatments for the injury?
First aid for a person with a drug overdose includes several steps.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
There are few side effects related to treatment of an overdose. The main problem is the overdose. A drug overdose can cause death if not treated quickly and efficiently.
What happens after treatment for the injury?
After emergency treatment for a drug overdose, the person should receive professional help in dealing with the drug abuse. Any new or worsening symptoms should be reported to the healthcare provider.
Attribution
Author:James Broomfield, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Crist, Gayle P., MS, BA
Edit Date:08/29/01
Reviewer:Melissa Sanders, PharmD
Date Reviewed:08/29/01