OPIOID TOXICITY

Course overview

OPIOIDS AND OPIATES TOGETHER COMPRISE A CLASS OF MEDICATIONS WIDELY USED PRIMARILY TO CONTROL SEVERE PAIN. IF FIRST-LINE AGENTS ARE NOT EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING THE PAIN, OPIOIDS ARE OFTEN A DRUG OF CHOICE. CONVENTIONALLY, THE TERM OPIATES REFER TO NATURAL COMPOUNDS USUALLY OBTAINED FROM THE POPPY FLOWER BASE. CHEMICAL PROCESSES SYNTHESIZE OPIOIDS. OPIATES AND OPIOIDS ARE AMONG THE MOST COMMONLY MISUSED SUBSTANCES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. ADDICTION TO OPIOIDS HAS BECOME A SIGNIFICANT HEALTH PROBLEM IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD SINCE THE 2000S, PARTICULARLY IN THE UNITED STATES. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF OPIOID TOXICITY AND REVIEWS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN EVALUATING, DIAGNOSING, AND MANAGING THE CONDITION.