A Guide To Opioid Overdose Prevention And Reversal For Public Safety And Law Enforcement
What is an opioid OD?
An overdose is when the body has more drugs than it can handle. People can overdose on lots of things, including alcohol, cocaine/crack, opioids or a mixture of drugs. Opioid overdoses happen when there are so many opioids or a combination of opioids and other depressants (downers) in the body that the brain shuts down breathing. This happens because opioids fit into specific receptors on the brain that have an effect on breathing. If someone can’t breathe or isn’t breathing enough, then oxygen can’t get to the brain and after a very short time the heart stops, which leads to unconsciousness, coma, then death. The lack of oxygen from slowed or stopped breathing is the key dangerous aspect to an opioid overdose. Combining opioids with benzodiazepines or alcohol increases the likelihood of an OD. Benzodiazepines are psychoactive drugs that have sedative, hypnotic, anti-anxiety, anticonvulsant, muscle relaxant, and amnesic actions, which are useful to treat alcohol dependence, seizures, anxiety, panic, agitation and insomnia. ...