Should patients who have known IV addictions be offered a PICC line or similar in order to reduce their risks of infections, blood clots, scarring, circulatory damage/ impairment, injecting into arteries or damaging nerves in the surrounding structures, or should these types of device be avoided in order to reduce the temptation the other associated risks of having a VAD in place for any length of time? This is the topic of todays blog post and we want to know what you think!
Category Archives: Opiates/Opioids
Heroin Overdose Deaths Often Happen Shortly After Leaving Hospital According To New Cutting Edge Research
Drug-related deaths are four times more likely to occur in the days after hospital discharge than at any other time among users of opioids such as heroin according to research led by University College London, Public Health England and King’s College London.
University Students Ultimate Guide To Drugs, Alcohol And Addiction
Going to university is as much about experiencing your first taste of freedom and independence as it is about preparing for your career and any other postgraduate training you may need to do for your job of choice.
For many young adults, going to a university is the first opportunity they have to live away from their parents. It can all be very exciting. Yet all of this new freedom and the experiences that you’ll shortly face means being suddenly faced with a lot of unfamiliar choices and new possible temptations, some involving the temptation or social pressure to use alcohol and drugs.
This article is designed to give you brief, yet full overview of drugs, alcohol and addiction that may come from chronically misusing substances. You’ll find tips, tricks and so much more!…
Why Wouldn’t You Want To Save A Life?
Naloxone AKA Narcan is a medicine used in emergency situations where there is a suspicion that opioids have been taken and/or overdosed on.
This emergency medication reverses the devastating effects of an opioid overdose by blocking the opioid receptors in the brain. This is why it is called an opioid antagonist. It also prevents the person from overdosing again for a short while after it’s been initially administered.
Find out all you need to know about Naloxone in this article.
Needing More And More? Is Your Body Developing A Tolerance To Drugs, Alcohol Or Medications?
A tolerance to a substance occurs when the body gets used to a substance (drugs, alcohol or medication) so that more of the same substance is needed to give the desired effect that was once received initially from smaller amounts.
There are several mechanisms behind tolerance, including changes in the metabolism of a drug, cellular changes or behavioural/psychological effects. Tolerance is not always negative, and people may develop a tolerance to the side effects of a drug over time as well.
We look at these issues and many others in this article. This is one not to miss if you think that you or someone else you know may have developed a tolerance to medications or substances.
Drug Deaths In England And Wales Up Again In 2021 According To The Latest Office For National Statistics Report
England and Wales have yet again recorded their highest ever number of drug-related deaths, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
This eye-opening article really shows why we must not take our eye off of the prize when it comes to the combined effort that we all provide in an attempt to overcome our addiction and substance misuse crisis!
Getting Out And Help Our Community Once Again
Today we’ve been out and about helping those who are homeless or rough sleeping around the town to help keep warm and dry during this constantly changing weather.
Those who rely on us have been happy to see us again too.
We need your help if we are to continue helping those who are homeless or sleeping rough and are addicted to drug and alcohol locally. You can find out how you can support us on our donation page or within this article. Thank you!
Study: Doctors Are Pressurised To Prescribe Opioid Based Medications When Asked Much Later In The Day
The authors of a recent study on opioid use and found another startling factor that might be adding to the ever increasing opioid crisis: the increasing rate of opioid prescribing.
Hannah Neprash, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota and Michael Barnett, an internal medicine specialist practicing in multiple hospitals around Boston, found that physicians are more likely to prescribe opioids as their shift progresses and appointments fall behind schedule when Doctors are to talk to the patient, assess or examine them and refer them to other specialties or prescribe medications in a 10-15 minute window.
Check out the surprising results from this highly illuminating study on this increasing, worldwide issue that’s adding more pressure on the current opioid crisis in developed nations.
Drink ‘n’ Drugs 