Journal of Clinical & Experimental Pharmacology

A Brief Note on Drug Overdose

Saangi Catherine^* Department of Pharmacology, University of Kent, England, United Kingdom
^*Correspondence: Saangi Catherine, Department of Pharmacology, University of Kent, England, United Kingdom, Email:

Received: 01-Dec-2021 Published: 22-Dec-2021

Description

The word "overdose" is frequently used to describe severe drug responses or bad drug interactions caused by taking many medications at the same time.

A drug overdose (overdose or OD) is the intake or administration of a drug or other chemical in proportions that are larger than those advised. It is typically used in situations when there is a risk to one's health. An overdose can lead to toxicity or death. The phrase "overdose" indicates that the medicine has a standard safe dosage and usage; as a result, it is typically applied solely to pharmaceuticals, not poisons, despite the fact that many poisons are also innocuous at low enough doses. As a result of purposeful or inadvertent medicine usage, drug overdose is occasionally utilised as a way of suicide. Intentional abuse that leads to overdose might involve consuming excessive amounts of prescribed or non-prescribed medicines in an attempt to get high.

Overdosing can occur when illegal drugs are used in excessive quantities or after a time of drug abstinence. Cocaine users who inject intravenously can quickly overdose since the difference between a nice drug experience and an overdose is small. other examples of unintentional abuse include dosage mistakes due by a failure to read or interpret product labelling. Accidental overdoses can also occur as a result of over-prescription, inability to detect a drug's active component, or unintended intake by children. Multivitamins containing iron are a frequent unintentional overdose in young children.

Signs of an overdose

Over dosage effects are linked to a variety of medicines. Overdosage symptoms for the medications listed below include: The nerve system of the Central Nervous System (CNS). The symptoms include shallow breathing, a weak pulse, clammy skin, coma, and death due to respiratory arrest. Psychotic symptoms, agitation, and delirium are all symptoms of hallucinogens. CNSmarked inhalants causes sudden death, sadness, unconsciousness, stupor or coma, arrhythmia. Marijuana causes extreme sleepiness, slurred speech, vomiting, tachycardia, agitation, and psychosis. Depressed state of awareness, respiratory depression/arrest, cold/clammy skin, cyanosis (bluish skin), constricted pupils are all symptoms of opioid use (dilated if anoxic brain injury has occurred.

Hyperthermia, tachycardia, hypertension, arrhythmia, agitation, hallucinations and other psychotic symptoms, seizures, cardiovascular crises are among side effects of stimulants. In many cases, an unintentional overdose is a strong indication that therapy is required. However, someone can overdose on a substance for the first time, and in these circumstances, the individual may not fulfil the criteria for substance use disorder or addiction and hence may not require the entire spectrum of addiction treatments. Even in those cases, the substance addiction and misuse education is suggested, albeit the overdose itself is likely to be the most effective deterrent to future drug use. Immediate treatment can save lives in many cases of drug overdose, including alcohol poisoning.

It's possible that the person will vomit and then aspirate or choke on it. The person's heart might acquire an abnormal rhythm or possibly cease beating. Breathing may become sluggish or irregular, or the sufferer may cease breathing entirely. The body's temperature might decline. Severe dehydration can result if the individual vomits frequently, which can lead to additional issues such as seizures. Respiratory arrest can result in long-term anoxic brain damage and other organ harm, as well as a significant chance of mortality.