Wendy McGurk

NARCOTIC ANALGESICS (OPIATES)

WHAT ARE OPIATES • Opium poppy, has been cultivated throughout history

• 6000 Sumerian tablet has an ideograph for the poppy shown as “joy” + “plant”

• Egyptions listed opium along with 700 other medicines in the Ebers Papyrus

• The Greek god of sleep, Hypnos & and the Roman god of sleep, Somnus were portrayed carrying containers of opium pods

WHAT ARE OPIATES (CONT.)

• Opiates are a class of drug that acts primarily on the bodies opiate receptors.

• Opiates are classified as a narcotic

• Opiates act by depressing the CNS

• Opiates are used primarily for there analgesic effects, but also for there cough suppressant properties.

THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OPIATES1) The naturally occurring opiates are those

which are found in the opium resin of the opium poppy.

2) The semi-synthetic opiates are derived from the naturally occurring opiates and opium alkaloids.

3) Synthetic opiates are synthesized from other chemicals and molecules that are not from alkaloids found in opium

COMMON NARCOTICS (OPIATES)

• Heroin (illegal) Hydromorphone

• Morphine Propoxyphene

• Methadone Meperidine

• Oxycodone Hydrocodone

• Codeine Diphenoxylate

• Tramadol Opium tincture

• Fentanyl Buprenorphine

STREET NAMES • Heroin: Horse, Smack thunder, Chiva, Hell Dust,

Big H, Black tar,

• Morphine: Dreamer, Morpho, Miss Emma, Monkey, Unkie, Mister Blue

• Codeine: Schoolboy, Cough syrup, T-three’s

• Hydrocodone: Vikes, Viko, Norco, Hydro.

• Oxycodone: Hillbilly Heroin, OC, Oxy, Roxy

THERAPEUTIC USES OF OPIATES• Most common is use to relieve pain

• Including visceral, and somatic

• Internal organs and skeletal (bones, muscle, teeth)

• Suppress the coughing center of the brain

• Cough medicine

• Slow movement of materials in intestines

• Treat severe diarrhea

• Treatment of opiate addiction

PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS

• Opiates general slow breathing, heart rate, and brain activity.• Opiates depress appetite, thirst, and sexual

desire.• Body’s tolerance to pain is increased• Use of unsterile needles can lead to Hepatitis,

Tetanus or AIDS.

Side effects• Shallow breathing

• Drowsiness

• Lethargy

• Needle or track marks on inner arms or other parts of the body.

• Nodding out

• Constricted pupils

• Withdrawal symptoms

• Redness or raw nostrils from sniffing heroin

• Exaggerated pain responses

• Agitation/anxiety/insomnia

• Stomach cramps/vomiting/diarrhea

• Joint/muscle aches/twitches

• Runny nose/perspiration/tears

• Flu-like symptoms/fever

• Craving for the drug

• High blood pressure

• Hot/cold flashes

• Withdrawal effects usually starts 6 to 12 hours after last dose.

• Isn’t fatal, but feels like you are dying.

WITHDRAWAL EFFECTS

• Bone Fractures

• Cardiovascular events

• Kidney disease

• Gastrointestinal events

• HIV or AIDS

• Hepatitis B & C

PEOPLE WHO USE OPIATES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER RATES OFThese are higher risks when sharing needles Intravenous and intramuscular

TREATMENT• The primary method of treating and

managing opioid addiction and dependence has been with the use of other opioid drugs.

• These replacement drugs function to essentially wean the user off of opioid use.• Suboxone and Methadone

TREATMENT• Buprenorphine

• Vivitrol (extended form release of naltrexone)

• Rapid Detox

• Alcoholic Anonymous

• Narcotics Anonymous

• Counseling

6 WAYS TO SEE IF YOUR CHILD MAY BE AN OPIATE ADDICT• if you are missing prescription medication in

your house

• Falling asleep at very odd times during the day then this could also be a sign of opiate addiction

• Your child will have the need to get high all the time, so be on the lookout for missing electronics or other items of value in your house.

6 WAYS TO SEE IF YOUR CHILD MAY BE AN OPIATE ADDICT (CONT.)

• having a hard time at school and this includes socializing less with friends or maybe they have lost friends or failed a class.

• Watch how much money your child goes through in a typical week and pay attention to amounts of money that they might ask you for

• pay attention to the physical signs of opiate addiction especially relating to intravenous injection of drugs like Heroin. Look for obvious signs such as track marks

YOU CAN FIND HELP• For some addicts, the beginning of treatment is

detoxification

• No single approach to detoxification is guaranteed to be best for all addicts

• If you think you are addicted you should be evaluated by a mental health professional as soon as possible. Or you can look at a newspaper and find your local Narcotics Anonymous meetings, and someone there can help you find your path.

REFERENCES • NIDA Treatment for Opiate Addiction, http://

www.drugabuse.gov/publications/topics-in-brief/buprenorphine-treatment-opiate-addiction-right-in-doctors-office

• Opiate Use has Long-Term Health Risk, http://www.theexigencegroup.com/news/intelligence/article:opiate-use-may-pose-long-term-health-risks-/

• Opiate Abuse, http://www.genesishouse.net/article-Opiate-Abuse.html

• Drug Fact Sheet, http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/all_fact_sheets.pdf

• Types of Opiates, https://sites.google.com/site/opiateaddictionresource/opiates/types_of_opiate

• Drugs and Society, Hanson, Venturelli, Fleckenstein, (2012).