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- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
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- How to Lower Cholesterol
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Opioids and Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
Summary
Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are a type of drug. They include strong prescription pain relievers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol. The illegal drug heroin is also an opioid. Some opioids are made from the opium plant, and others are synthetic (man-made).
A doctor may give you a prescription opioid to reduce pain after you have had a major injury or surgery. You may get them if you have severe pain from health conditions like cancer. Some doctors prescribe them for chronic pain.
Opioids can cause side effects such as drowsiness, mental fog, nausea, and constipation. They may also cause slowed breathing, which can lead to overdose deaths. If someone has signs of an overdose, call 911:
- The person’s face is extremely pale and/or feels clammy to the touch
- Their body goes limp
- Their fingernails or lips have a purple or blue color
- They start vomiting or making gurgling noises
- They cannot be awakened or are unable to speak
- Their breathing or heartbeat slows or stops
Other risks of using prescription opioids include dependence and addiction. Dependence means feeling withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug. Addiction is a chronic brain disease that causes a person to compulsively seek out drugs, even though they cause harm. The risks of dependence and addiction are higher if you misuse the medicines. Misuse can include taking too much medicine, taking someone else’s medicine, taking it in a different way than you are supposed to, or taking the medicine to get high.
Opioid misuse, addiction, and overdoses are serious public health problems in the United States. Another problem is that more women are misusing opioids during pregnancy. This can lead to babies being addicted and going through withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Opioid misuse may sometimes also lead to heroin use, because some people switch from prescription opioids to heroin.
The main treatment for prescription opioid addiction is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It includes medicines, counseling, and support from family and friends. MAT can help you stop using the drug, get through withdrawal, and cope with cravings. There is also a medicine called naloxone which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and prevent death, if it is given in time.
To prevent problems with prescription opioids, be sure to follow your doctor’s instructions when taking them. Do not share your medicines with anyone else. Contact your doctor if you have any concerns about taking the medicines.
NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Statistics and Research
- Abuse of Prescription Pain Medications Risks Heroin Use National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Data Overview: Opioids Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Overdose Death Rates National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Statement on Public-Private Partnerships as Part of the NIH HEAL Initiative National Institutes of Health
Children
- Accidental Exposures to Fentanyl Patches Continue to Be Deadly to Children Food and Drug Administration
- What Is Fentanyl? (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- What Is Narcan (Naloxone)? (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- What Is Xylazine? (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
Encyclopedia
- Acetaminophen and codeine overdose Medical Encyclopedia
- Codeine overdose Medical Encyclopedia
- Hydrocodone and acetaminophen overdose Medical Encyclopedia
- Hydrocodone/oxycodone overdose Medical Encyclopedia
- Hydromorphone overdose Medical Encyclopedia
- Methadone overdose Medical Encyclopedia
- Morphine overdose Medical Encyclopedia
Related Issues
- Benzodiazepines and Opioids National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Know Your Options (to Manage Your Pain Without Opioids) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Opioids and Dental Pain National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research
Find an Expert
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Drug Enforcement Administration Drug Enforcement Administration
- FindTreatment.gov Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Food and Drug Administration Food and Drug Administration
- National Institute on Drug Abuse National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Partnership to End Addiction Partnership to End Addiction
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Opioid Dependence and Addiction National Institutes of Health
Reference Desk
- Commonly Used Opioid Terms Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Diagnosis and Tests
- Drug Testing National Library of Medicine
- Drug Use Screening Tests National Library of Medicine
- Mental Health Screening National Library of Medicine
- Opioid Testing National Library of Medicine
Specifics
- Fentanyl National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Fentanyl Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Heroin: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
- Hydromorphone Drug Enforcement Administration
- Opioids (Prescription Pain Relievers) Partnership to End Addiction
- Prescription Opioids Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Prescription Opioids DrugFacts National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
- Fighting the Opioid Crisis: NIH HEAL Initiative Takes on Addiction and Pain Management
- Opioid Crisis: An Overview
- Renewal and Recovery after Opioid Dependence
Videos and Tutorials
- How Naloxone Saves Lives in Opioid Overdose National Library of Medicine
Images
- Hydrocodone Drug Enforcement Administration
- Narcotics Drug Enforcement Administration
Teenagers
- Mind Matters: The Body’s Response to Opioids National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Misuse of Prescription Pain Relievers: The Buzz Takes Your Breath Away. Permanently. Food and Drug Administration
- Opioid Facts for Teens National Institute on Drug Abuse
Start Here
- National Opioids Crisis: Help and Resources Department of Health and Human Services
- Opioid Addiction American Academy of Family Physicians
- Opioids National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Understanding the Opioid Epidemic Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Patient Handouts
- Opiate and opioid withdrawal Medical Encyclopedia
- Opioid intoxication Medical Encyclopedia
Treatments and Therapies
- Opioid Abuse and Addiction Treatment: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
Genetics
- Opioid addiction: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Opioid Overdose Prevention: Safety Advice for Patients and Family Members Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- What to Ask Your Doctor before Taking Opioids Food and Drug Administration