Opioid Overdose Booklet

Opioid OverdoseRisk Factors and Prevention Tips

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What you can expect to learn from this booklet

• General information about opioids

• General information about an opioid overdose

• Opioid Overdose Risk Factors

• Opioid Overdose Prevention Tips

Disclaimer: The information in this bookletshould not be taken as medical advice. Discuss medical issues with your trustedhealthcare provider.


What are Opioids?General Information about Opioids


Opioids Are…

• Drugs made from opium poppies or made in a laboratory

• Drugs that act in the brain and can stop youfrom breathing

• Used to manage physical pain and fortreatment of addiction to other opioids

• Sometimes used for other reasons likeemotional pain, boredom, or for fun

• Drugs that generally make people feel warm,drowsy, and happy

• Drugs that you can become dependent on over time

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A Few Common Opioids

• Heroin (Smack, Junk, etc.)• Morphine (Statex®, Kadian®, MS Contin®)• Oxycodone (Oxycontin®, OxyNeo®)• Percocet®, Oxycocet® and Endocet®

(oxycodone + acetaminophen)• Percodan® (oxycodone + acetylsalicylic acid)• Pentazocine (Talwin®)• Hydromorphone (Dilaudid®, Palladone®)• Vicodin® (hydrocodone + acetaminophen)• Fentanyl (Duragesic®, etc.)• Codeine (Tylenol 1®,2®,3®)• Methadone • Buprenorphine + Naloxone (Suboxone®)• Opium

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When Using Opioids, You May Experience...The high

• Lasts 20 minutes for some opioids, and up to24 hours with others

• Feelings of intense pleasure and reduced pain• Warm skin, dry mouth, and heavy feeling

arms and legs• Nausea, vomiting and severe itching• Slow, shallow breathing

Coming down• Feeling restless, sweaty, stomach cramps

and diarrhea• Irritability, insomnia, yawning, runny nose• Muscle spasms and bone pain• Strong cravings for more opioids

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What is an Opioid Overdose?

General Information about Opioid Overdose


An opioid overdose happens when you take too much of an opioid and it slowly stops you from breathing. How much is too much depends onthe person.

When you don’t breathe regularly your body andbrain don’t get enough oxygen. This can lead tobrain damage and sometimes it can lead to death.Death may occur hours later. Sometimes people diebecause they choke on their own vomit.

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What are the Signs of an Opioid Overdose?

Feels like• You can’t stay awake• You don’t have any energy or strength• You can’t walk, can’t talk

Other things to look for• Slow pulse or no pulse• Slow breathing or no breathing• Skin that looks pale and blue, feels cold• Pupils are pin-sized or eyes are rolled back• Vomiting• Body is limp

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How can an OpioidOverdose Be Prevented?

Risk Factors and Prevention Tips


Overview of Risk Factors

• Mixing more than one drug at a time• Using the same amount of drug again,

when you haven’t used for a while• Changing to a different opioid• Using in a new place• Poor health• Changing the way you take your drug(s)

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Overview of Prevention Tips...

• Don’t mix your drugs. This includes prescription,over-the-counter, and illegal drugs

• Try small amounts first (do testers). Use less. Pace yourself

• Use less if the supply, dealer, or town is new to you• When sick, or if you have poor health, be extra

careful• Choose a safer way of taking drugs• Don’t use alone. Make sure someone knows what

drugs you’ve taken• Talk to a trusted healthcare provider

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Risk Factor: Mixing more than one drug at a time

• Using alcohol, sedatives, benzodiazepines and other opioids together could increase your chance of overdose

• Some antidepressant medications or SSRIs can increase your risk of overdose

• Using cocaine, crack, and crystal meth (which are stimulants) with opioids isdangerous because it puts your body under too much stress

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Overdose Prevention Tip

• Don’t mix your drugs• Know how your pharmacy prescription and

over-the-counter medications work with otherdrugs you are using. Talk to a trustedhealthcare provider

• Make sure someone knows what drugsyou’ve taken (including prescriptions) in caseyou need help

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Risk Factor: Using the sameamount of drug again, when youhaven’t used in a while

• When you haven’t used in a while, your tolerancegoes down. If you go back to using your usualamount, you may overdose

• Your risk of overdose is very high when:- You leave treatment or detox- You’re discharged from the hospital- You’re released from prison

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• Try small amounts first (do testers). Use less.Pace yourself

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Risk Factor: Changing to adifferent opioid

Changing what opioid(s) you use can increase yourrisk of overdose because not all opioids are thesame. For example:

• You may need less (of the new opioid) to get thesame effect (high)

• Long-acting opioids (like methadone) stay inyour body for a long time and may accumulateover days. What was OK on the first day couldstop your breathing on the second or third day

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• Try small amounts first (do testers). Use less.Pace yourself

• Be aware that if you use street drugs you cannever be sure of what you’re using

• Don’t use alone – and remember, don’t shareequipment

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Risk Factor: Using in a new place

• Using in a new or unfamiliar place can increaseyour risk of overdose

• It’s hard to trust what drugs are being used if thedrug supply, dealer, or town is new to you

• If you use in a new place, the added stress ofbeing in a new place may increase your risk ofoverdose

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• Be careful when using in a new place• Try small amounts first (do testers). Use less.

Pace yourself• Make sure you have a buddy in your new

community who can help you if needed

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Risk Factor: Poor health

• When you are sick, tired, or haven’t been eatingregularly, your body can’t break down opioidswell

• If you have liver and/or kidney damage your bodycan’t break down opioids well

• Any illness that affects your breathing (e.g. a common cold, asthma, C.O.P.D.) can increase your risk of overdose

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• When sick, use less than you usually would.Be careful if you have a weak immune system,like if you’re HIV positive

• Get tested for liver diseases like hepatitis A, B,C and find out the results. That way you willknow if you have liver damage

• Get your heart and lungs checked• Talk to a trusted healthcare provider

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Risk Factor: The way you takeyour drug(s)

• The way you take drugs affects your overdoserisk. For example, injecting drugs puts you athigher risk of overdose than swallowing orsmoking drugs

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• Consider taking your drugs in a way that mayreduce your risk of overdose. For example,consider smoking or swallowing your drugsrather than injecting

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Other things to remember

In case you do overdose, you want to make suresomeone is able to get help for you as soon aspossible. Here are some tips to remember:

• Tell someone you trust where, when, and whatyou are using

• Make sure the person looking after you can getto you… is your door unlocked?

• An overdose is a medical emergency. Have aplan. Call 9-1-1 when needed

• Keep in mind how quickly emergency medicalservices can get to you

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For more information…

• Talk to a trusted healthcare or service provider• Visit: www.ohrdp.ca• Learn how to prevent and respond to an opioid

overdose. Talk to your local Needle SyringeProgram for more information

• Need information about addiction services?Contact the Drug & Alcohol Helpline: www.drugandalcoholhelpline.ca1 .800.565.8603


Toll Free: 1.866.316.2217E-mail: [email protected]: www.ohrdp.ca


Opioid Overdose Booklet

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