Pain Caused by Painkillers
115 lives are lost every day in the United States to opioids and are now considered the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States (HHS 2018). The opioid epidemic has affected all demographics regardless of ethnicity, age or wealth. The widespread misuse of and abuse of opioids including prescription pain relievers, heroin, and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl is a major crisis that significantly impacts the public health as well as socioeconomic welfare of the nation.
Opioids act on opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord to reduce the intensity of pain signal perception. In the late 1990s, the medical community had surmised that prescription opioid pain relievers were relatively innocuous, therefore healthcare providers began to prescribe them at greater rates. This subsequently led to the widespread misuse of opioid pain relievers before it was finally understood that opioids were highly addictive substances.
Most opioid addicts first began using the drugs as a result of a prescription (NIH 2018). Although prescription opioids are highly effective painkillers, once misused they can become highly addictive due to the rewarding effects they produce on the brain. Their consumption leads to the release of the chemical dopamine in the brain which is associated with intense pleasurable and happy sensations. In 2016 an estimated 40% of opioid overdose deaths involved prescription opioids and currently, it is believed that approximately 21-29% of patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain misuse them (NIH 2018). Furthermore, exposure to different opioids can worsen addiction. Synthetic opioids like fentanyl which are cheaper and even more powerful can be mixed with stimulants like cocaine and heroin without the users’ knowledge. Due to the increased release of endorphins, users can find themselves experimenting with stronger opioids to achieve the same effects. Morphine, for example, may not hold its power after months or years of use, can be replaced with fentanyl, which is 100 times stronger and extremely easy to overdose on. The over prescription of drugs and lack of education are primarily responsible for the opioid epidemic in the United States.
Opioids are one of the most dangerous substances that can be found in a person’s medicine cabinet and can have a devastating impact on human health. Due to their effect on the opiate receptors in the CNS, it is undeniable that opioids have a significant influence over human psychological health. Abnormal levels of daytime drowsiness, hyperalgesia and depression have been attributed to opioid misuse and abuse. In fact, patients using painkillers in excess of six months had more than a 50 percent greater chance of developing major depression. In addition, medical experts have expressed concern over the sedative effects of opioids on the lungs. Overdosing on opioids can result in respiratory depression which can eventually lead to respiratory arrest which deprives brain and body tissues of oxygen and can easily prove fatal (AAC).The combination of acetaminophen with opioids and alcohol contribute greatly to liver damage.The polydrug usage worsens the liver’s ability to filter out the toxins acetaminophen and ethanol with often very serious and painful levels. It is also important to consider the indirect effects of opioid abuse. Illicit drugs such as heroin and fentanyl are often diluted which may lead to blood infections. The eventual result of the infections is organ damage due to blood clots and endocarditis-infection of the heart lining. The intravenous intake of opioids also increases the risk for HIV and Hepatitis C due to the sharing of contaminated needles (AAC). The addictive nature of opioid abuse serves to exacerbate their negative impact on human health.
The opioid epidemic has finally gained the attention of the public and their political representatives which is the first step that needed to be taken in order to resolve this crisis. The medical community agrees that prevention of opioid abuse through education is the best initiative to curb the opioid epidemic. Many people were unaware and still remain unaware of the dangers attached to the misuse of opioid painkillers and other prescription drugs. Raising awareness through schooling, commercials and websites is the first step to tackling the opioid crisis. If the propaganda propagated by pharmaceutical companies was responsible for the opioid epidemic in the first place, than it can also be used to combat the opioid epidemic. The medical community has also considered the development of non-addictive drugs that can still effectively manage the symptoms of chronic pain as a long term solution. In fact recent studies suggest a growing interest in the use of medical marijuana to treat human illness as an alternative and its potential to decrease the risk for developing an opioid misuse disorder (NIDA 2018). In addition to this, it is imperative that access to treatment and recovery services for opioid addiction is improved. Despite the surging opioid crisis, only one in ten Americans with an addiction disorder actually receive any treatment (CCBHC 2018). The low treatment rates can be mainly attributed to high medical bills due to a lack of insurance. According to the KFF, “Adults with opioid addiction who were covered by Medicaid were significantly more likely to have received treatment at an outpatient rehabilitation center than those with private insurance or those who were uninsured.” This illustrates the need for proactive leadership to be demonstrated by the federal government as states are becoming increasingly dependent on Medicaid to provide for essential treatment services. Individuals and state governments simply do not have the resources to provide medication, essential treatment, or manage the facilities needed to withstand the force of the opioid epidemic. Hundreds if not thousands of lives could be saved each year if citizens had access to the treatment that they require. Although, there is currently no panacea available to combat the opioid epidemic, the medical community, and government and community leaders have developed innovative solutions and strategies to win the war against opioids.
The opioid epidemic has taken the lives of thousands of citizens of every age, ethnicity, race and age in the United States.The scientific community and the public have finally recognized the danger to human health that is associated with opioid misuse. However, the crisis surrounding affordable health care and health education must be resolved if the public is to ever emerge victorious in the war against opioids.
References
AARP Bulletin. (2017, June 01). Prescription Opioids: Pain Medication Information. Retrieved December 2, 2018, from https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/info-2017/opiates-prescription-pain-medication-information.html
National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Marijuana as Medicine.” NIDA, NIDA, Mar. 2018, www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/marijuana-medicine.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Opioid Overdose Crisis.” NIDA, NIDA, 6 Mar. 2018, www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis.
Public Affairs. “What Is the U.S. Opioid Epidemic?” HHS.gov, HHS, www.hhs.gov/opioids/about-the-epidemic/index.html.
“The Effects of Opiates on the Body.” DrugAbuse.com, American Addiction Centers, 16 June 2018, drugabuse.com/featured/the-effects-of-opiates-on-the-body/.
Zur, Julia, and Jennifer Tolbert. “The Opioid Epidemic and Medicaid's Role in Facilitating Access to Treatment.” The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, 24 Apr. 2018, www.kff.org/medicaid/issue-brief/the-opioid-epidemic-and-medicaids-role-in-facilitating-access-to-treatment/.
