Role of addiction specialists in prevention of opioid overdose deaths

Jaswinder Singh Gandhi

Abstract

Recently there has been epidemic of Opioid Use Disorders in certain parts of world and hence the mortality associated with Opioid overdose. Different studies show that Opioid overdose is generally witnessed; death takes a while and is generally due to respiratory failure. Addiction is a chronic relapsing disorder where even a recovering patient can relapse anytime and die of Opioid overdose. Considering the fact that a large number of OUD patients come to addiction specialist for treatment, these physicians can play a major role in reducing the mortality of OUD by educating the patients and their Significant Others against Opioid overdose and prescribing Naloxone to them in addition to other addiction medicines. They can keep Naloxone at a safe place and use it in case they witness an Opioid overdose and save a life. 

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