Drug Overdose: An Overview

Introduction:

Drug overdose can be intentional or accidental. A drug overdose occurs when the consumed drug is in amounts more than the recommended dosage, which harms the body’s functions. Drug overdose can lead to life-threatening situations including death. The intensity of drug overdose depends on the amount of drug taken, the type of drug, and the physical and medical history of the affected person.

What Are the Causes of a Drug Overdose?

The following are the causes of drug overdose:

• Accidental Intake: A young child or an adult who is mentally impaired can swallow a drug that is kept within their reach. Young children between the age of six months to three years are curious enough to grab the objects that are within their reach and put them in their mouths. Toddlers might sometimes share the medications which they find with other children unknowingly. There is a probability that if one child is suspected of a drug overdose, the other children who were around could have also consumed them.

• Self-Harm (Intentional): Drug overdose in adolescents and adults can be with an intention to harm themselves. Those who intentionally overdose on medications frequently may be suffering from underlying health conditions.

What Are the Other Reasons for a Drug Overdose?

The other reasons for drug overdose are as follows:

• Too Sensitive: Few people may be sensitive to even a low dosage of a drug though it is within the recommended range. This can be a burden for their bodies to handle which results in a drug overdose.

• Inability to Metabolize: Illicit drugs which are consumed to get high can lead to overdose if the individual’s metabolism is incapable of detoxifying the drug quickly to avoid the undesirable side effects.

• Poisoning: One can be poisoned by exposure to certain plants, chemicals, and other toxic substances. A higher dose and a long period of exposure can aggravate the poisoning effect. Examples include mushroom poisoning and carbon monoxide poisoning.

Drug overdose can occur in people of any age ranging from young children like toddlers to teenagers and adults.

What Are the Risk Factors Associated With Drug Overdose?

The following are a few risk factors:

• Careless Storage: If the medications are carelessly kept in areas where young children can grab them easily, it can increase the risk of drug overdose since the children are curious to analyze the things within their reach and put it in their mouths.

• Not Aware of the Correct Dosage: Drug overdose can occur in adults if they do not follow the instructions correctly like consuming more than the prescribed dosage or taking the medication sooner than instructed.

• Misuse or Addiction: Misusing prescription drugs intentionally or consuming illicit drugs can make one susceptible to drug overdose especially if this is done frequently or if one becomes addicted. The risk intensifies if one uses a combination of drugs or multiple drugs, or consumes it with alcohol.

• Mental Disorders: Drug overdose can be due to depression and suicidal thoughts. It can occur especially when the mental condition is not treated.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Drug Overdose?

The signs and symptoms of drug overdose are as follows:

• Loss of consciousness.

• Nausea and vomiting.

• Drowsiness.

• Difficulty in breathing and walking.

• Agitation.

• Enlarged pupils.

• Being aggressive or violent.

• Tremors.

• Convulsions (a sudden, violent, involuntary body movement).

• Hallucinations or delusions.

• Vital signs like pulse rate, temperature, respiratory rate, and blood pressure can increase, decrease, or be completely absent.

• Cool and sweaty skin or it can be hot and dry.

• Chest pain can occur due to heart or lung damage. There can be shortness of breath, or breathing can be rapid, slow, deep, or shallow.

• Vomiting blood, or blood in the bowel can be serious.

• Organ damage can occur based on specific drugs.

• Blue fingernails or tips.

• Choking or gurgling sounds.

How Can Drug Overdose Be Diagnosed?

A complete history is taken followed by a physical examination. Other diagnostic methods include:

• Family members, relatives, and friends are the primary information providers since they can give the name of the drugs consumed by the person, the amounts taken, and the timing of the overdose.

• Blood tests may be recommended to estimate the specific drug levels based on the drug taken.

• Drug screening may be carried out with urine and blood analysis.

How Can Drug Overdose Be Treated?

The treatment for drug overdose is customized since it depends on the dosage and the type of drug consumed by a person. The following are a few general treatment methods:

• Clearing the airway and restoring breathing by inserting a breathing tube in case of difficult breathing.

• Giving the patient activated charcoal which will absorb the drug in the digestive tract. This will prevent the circulation of the drug in the blood. The drug along with the charcoal is expelled in the stool.

• Vomiting will be induced to remove the toxic substance from the stomach.

• The stomach will be pumped (gastric lavage) to remove the substance.

• Administering intravenous fluids can fasten the removal of the substance by the body.

• Antidotes will be given to counteract the effect of the ingested drug or prevent more harm. Additional medicines, if required will be added by the physician.

How Can Drug Overuse Be Prevented?

A few preventive methods include:

• Parents, grandparents, and caretakers should be vigilant when young children are at home. Medications should be kept in places where they cannot be reached by children. Accidental poisoning is the major cause of death in children between the age of six months to five years.

• Elderly people should be taught how to take their medications and differentiate one medicine from another. The medications can be kept in labeled containers along with the time mentioned on the labels. These can be refilled weekly. Some containers contain alarms as a reminder to take medications at the appropriate time.

• Prescription drugs should be used as per the instructions given by the physician. Medicines should not be combined and taken without consulting a physician. Similarly, alcohol should not be mixed with prescription drugs.

• Following activated charcoal treatment, one must drink plenty of water to prevent constipation.

• Treatment with activated charcoal for drug overdose can have an effect on other medications that one takes. If one is taking an oral contraceptive pill, another method of contraception should be followed till the next menstrual period.

• If one takes a new drug for the first time, it must be consumed in small amounts at first to check for any adverse reactions.

• Similarly, one must stop taking the drug if they notice any sudden or delayed reaction to the drug and consult the physician.

Conclusion:

Drug overdose happens when one consumes a drug more than the recommended dosage. It can also occur accidentally in certain cases. If anyone is noticed with signs and symptoms of a drug overdose, they have to be rushed to the hospital at the earliest. Timely management of drug overdose can be effective in preventing life-threatening conditions.