Chapter 8 Narcotics. Historical Perspectives The term narcotics is from the Greek word meaning...
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Transcript of Chapter 8 Narcotics. Historical Perspectives The term narcotics is from the Greek word meaning...
Chapter 8
Narcotics
Historical Perspectives
The term narcotics is from the Greek word meaning stupor
Throughout history opium figured prominently in wars, economic vitality of countries, medicine and in the work of lyricists and authors
1800’s
Opium plentiful in the United States mainly due to more than 70,000 Chinese workers coming to the United States to build railroads and with them came a penchant for smoking opium
Morphine use escalated during the 19th century – it was used to relieve pain, diarrhea and dysentery
Civil War soldiers routinely injected them selves with morphine and thousands became addicted
Laudanum was widely soldBy the late 1800s an estimeated 4.59 per
1,000 people were dependent on opiates
In 1914 the Harrison Act was passed regulating narcotic use
During the 1930s morphine abuse exceeded heroin abuse in the United States. By the following decade heroin addiction was greater
Extent of Narcotic Use
Among Americans aged 12 or older, 3.7 million are estimated to have used heroin at least once
In the United States more than 800,000 people are addicted to heroin and other narcotics
Characteristics of Narcotics
Opiates refers to a family of drugs with characteristics similar to opium
Opiate and Opioid are terms used interchangeable and they may be natural or synthetic
Crude opium is found in the Papaver somniferum
Morphine and codeine both are natural products of crude opium
Heroid is a semi-synthetic (di-acetyl morphine)
Synthetic opiates are chemically constructed rather than naturally produced – an example is fentanyl, a powerful opiate stronger than heroin
Other synthetic opiates include meperidine (Demerol), propoxyphene hydrochloride (Darvon) and Methadone.
Oxycontin is a strong opoid that offers long pain relief. A popular drug in Appalachia and has been referred to as “hillbilly heroin”
Physical and Psychological Effects
Opiates mimic endorphins in the brain
Physical Effects-drowsiness-vomiting-nausea-difficulty concentrating
Psychological effectsrelief of anxiety, hostility, feelings ofinadequacy and aggression
Dependency
Physical dependence, psychological dependence, and tolerance develop quickly
Withdrawal symptoms can include diarrhea, insomnia, muscle aches and pains, dysphoria, anxiety, and stomach cramps
Toxicity
Narcotics are capable of depressing the respiratory system to the point of death
Death from an overdose of heroin is slow. People who die quickly from an overdose are likely to die from anaphylactic shock
Medical Benefits
AnalgesiaGastrointestinal difficultiesCough Suppressant
Treatment
Detoxification Gradual withdrawal from narcotics and use of drugs such as clonidine, naltrexone, and naloxone, and methadone.
Naloxone and Naltrexone: Narcotic antagonists (negates the effects of heroin)
Methadone
Since 1960 methadone has been the drug used most frequently to treat heroin addiction
Methadone blocks the craving for opiates
Methadone has been viewed as substituting one narcotic for another – so the life of a methadone patient is not easy
Methadone maintenance has several advantages
-can be orally administered-easy to monitor-eliminates the need for needles-reduces risk of overdosing
In 1993 the FDA approved an alternative to methadone called
levo-alpha-acetylmethadol (LAAM)
a long-acting drug that can bock the withdrawal symptoms from narcotics for up to 3 days
Narcotics Anonymous
Modeled on the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a self help group to help people who are addicted to heroin and other narcotics to stay clean and sober
Summary
The term narcotics is from a Greek word meaning stupor
Opiates refers to a family of drugs with characteristics similar to opium
Morphine is a natural component of crude opium
Heroin is a semi-synthetic drug made from morphine
There are medical benefits to narcotics
Narcotics are highly addicting Oxycontin is a time-released narcotic Methadone maintenance is an option
for heroin rehabilitation Narcotic Anonymous is a support
group helping narcotics to remain clean and sobr