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An opioid overdose is toxicity due to excessive consumption of opioids, such as morphine, codeine, heroin, fentanyl, tramadol, and methadone. [3] [5] This preventable pathology can be fatal if it leads to respiratory depression, a lethal condition that can cause hypoxia from slow and shallow breathing. [3]
The symptoms can often be divided into differing toxidromes. This can help one determine what class of drug or toxin is causing the difficulties. Symptoms of opioid overdoses include slow breathing, heart rate and pulse. [6] Opioid overdoses can also cause pinpoint pupils, and blue lips and nails due to low levels of oxygen in the blood.
If the heart muscle contraction is intact, the condition is known as respiratory arrest. An abrupt stop of pulmonary gas exchange lasting for more than five minutes may permanently damage vital organs, especially the brain. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes loss of consciousness.
The majority of drug-related deaths involve misuse of heroin or other opioids in combination with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressant drugs. In most cases of fatal overdose it is likely that lack of opioid tolerance combined with the depressant effects of benzodiazepines is the cause of death.
Chest wall. Wooden chest syndrome is a rigidity of the chest following the administration of high doses of opioids during anesthesia [1]. [1]Wooden chest syndrome describes marked muscle rigidity — especially involving the thoracic and abdominal muscles — that is an occasional adverse effect associated with the intravenous administration of lipophilic synthetic opioids such as fentanyl [2].
As the opioid pain meds became scarce, a cheaper opioid began to take over the market — heroin. Frieden said three quarters of heroin users started with pills. Federal and Kentucky officials told The Huffington Post that they knew the move against prescription drugs would have consequences.
Impaired control of breathing – e.g. opioid overdose; Impaired airway protection – e.g. cerebrovascular accident (CVA) Parenchymal lung disease – e.g. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Increased airway resistance – e.g. COPD exacerbation; Hydrostatic pulmonary edema – e.g. left ventricular heart failure
Ischemia, meaning insufficient blood flow to a tissue, can also result in hypoxia in the affected tissues. This is called 'ischemic hypoxia'. Ischemia can be caused by an embolism, a heart attack that decreases overall blood flow, trauma to a tissue that results in damage reducing perfusion, and a variety of other causes.