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Fentanyl. 2 mg (white powder to the right) is a lethal dose in most people. [19] US penny is 19 mm (0.75 in) wide. Risk factors for opioid overdose include opioid dependence, injecting opioids, using high doses of opioids, and use together with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or cocaine. [1] [2] The risk is particularly high following detoxification. [1]
Structural correlation between met-enkephalin, an opioid peptide (left), and morphine, an opiate drug (right) Opioid peptides or opiate peptides are peptides that bind to opioid receptors in the brain; opiates and opioids mimic the effect of these peptides. Such peptides may be produced by the body itself, for example endorphins. The effects of ...
[2] [3] The terms 'opioid' and 'opiate' are sometimes used interchangeably, but the term 'opioid' is used to designate all substances, both natural and synthetic, that bind to opioid receptors in the brain. [4] Opiates are alkaloid compounds naturally found in the opium poppy plant Papaver somniferum. [5] [6]
Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists can be used to manage the symptoms of acute withdrawal. Lofexidine and clonidine are used for this purpose; both are considered to be equally effective, though clonidine has more side effects than lofexidine. [16] Clonidine is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist primarily used in the treatment of hypertension. [17]
Opiate withdrawal syndrome effects are associated with the abrupt cessation or reduction of prolonged opiate usage. The manifestation of opiate dependence and abuse relies on a variety of factors, including the opiate's pharmacokinetic properties and the user's predisposition for addiction. [9]
[57] [79] As a result of downregulated signaling through these proteins, opiates cause VTA neuronal hyperexcitability and shrinkage (specifically, the size of the neuronal soma is reduced). [57] It has been shown that when an opiate-naive person begins using opiates in concentrations that induce euphoria , BDNF signaling increases in the VTA.
Non-medical use of fentanyl by individuals without opioid tolerance can be very dangerous and has resulted in numerous deaths. [166] Even those with opiate tolerances are at high risk for overdoses. Like all opioids, the effects of fentanyl can be reversed with naloxone, or other opiate antagonists. Naloxone is increasingly available to the public.
This is why it is important for schools to implement effective strategies and programs to teach young children about the dangers and consequences of opioid misuse. Although the retention time of adolescents is much lower than adults, educating them from a younger age on opioid misuse should help keep children away from these drugs.