Opioids: 4 Types, Receptors & Abuse Risks - Essay Sample

Introduction

An opioid is a general term referring to a class of drugs with the ability of binding opioid receptors in the nerve cells. Opioid use is a form of drug abuse through prescribed pain reliever misuse and heroin use. There are four categories of opioids, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), natural opiates such as codeine and morphine, methadone; synthetic opioids such as fentanyl and tramadol; and illicit heroin (2019). These drugs react with opioid receptors in the nerve cells producing pleasurable effects and relieving pain.

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Opioid Statistics in Georgia and the U.S. Generally.

The U.S. is currently experiencing an epidemic of drug abuse, particularly opioid use. It is the largest opioid consumer in the world. According to the statistics provided by the National Drug Threat Assessment (2018), 560,000 people have succumbed to death in the U.S. from using opioids since 1999-2015. According to a CDC survey conducted in 2018, the number of people aged 12 and above in the U.S. that reported illicit opioid use and prescription accounted for 3.7% of the entire populace. The number of opioid prescriptions decreased significantly in 2018, juxtaposing the rising trend the drugs had since 2012 (2019). The death rates of prescribed opioid-related cases rose slightly, whereas heroin and synthetic opioids remained stable. Death rates involving fentanyl doubled from 2016 to 2017. The survey also approximates that 142 people die daily from drug abuse, with opioids having a more significant share.

The State of Georgia has the Drug Surveillance Unit, a section of the Department of Public Health that analyzes the statistics of drug misuse in the state. The rate of opioid use has been steadily rising since 2010. Between May and June of 2016 and 2017, opioid doses surpassed 541million doses with an average of 54 prescriptions per individual (Georgia, 2018). According to Opioid Overdose Surveillance Preliminary County Report (2018), opioids (OxyContin, Percocet) are the major killers followed by heroin and fentanyl with a death rate of 8.75 per 100,000 people averaging at 8.2 per 100,000. Bartow County has the most massive rate of opioid usage and death at 13.2 per 100,000, which is almost 61% higher than the average.

According to race, the whites are the most significant users of opioids at the rate of 12.07, then African American at 3.99 and others at 1.87 per 100,000 people. People aged between 35-44 years are the largest abusers of the opioids at a rate of 17.12 per 100,000 people. Opioid users are as young as 15 years, where the age bracket of 15-24 years has a rate of 4.84 per 100,000 teenagers. The report also provided statistics on emergency visits to hospitals due to the use of opioid use at an average price of 51.87 per 100,000 people, with the whites leading at a rate of 66.58 per 100,000 people. The age bracket of 25-34 has the most substantial emergency visit rates to health institutions at 91.57 per 100,000 people.

Personal Experience With Opioid Crisis

Growing up in Lincoln County, Georgia, meant I'd to have exposure with opioid users. My neighbor, whom we shared with a flat, was the closest victim I knew. Unlike most Americans who start opioid addiction through professional prescription, my neighbor began using drugs after his father's suicide. The incident devastated him much. He started using OxyContin in little sums until he could consume five 80mg tins. He could spend more than $50 in a day on the drugs, eventually losing his apartment and girlfriend. He became lonelier, and after some interrogation, he told me of his opioid addiction. As a competent and caring neighbor, I wanted to see him through the habit. I took him through a harm reduction process where I could help him battle the addiction and spread awareness about the addiction challenge.

Impact of Opioid Misuse to Nurse Practitioners

According to American Nursing Association (ANA), the role of nursing practitioners is to diagnose and manage stock and chronic diseases, perform physical examinations, order and interpret diagnostic tests, write a prescription, order for the transfer of patients from one health facility to another and offer to counsel (2017). With the rising cases of opioid usage in the U.S., a nurse becomes a subject of more work hours, physical and psychological harm, social issues, and community healthcare to curb the challenge.

Nurses have to work for longer hours, subjecting their efforts to the opioid addicts to other prescriptions, counseling services, and possible treatment to fight the addiction. It leads to fatigue, and some nurses can perform minor errors during the diagnosis process. Opioid addicts can respond aggressively when denied their opioid prescription as a measure to curb the addiction harming nurses. The confrontational affects nurses psychologically hence affecting their decision-making abilities during the diagnosis and treatment process (ANA, 2017). These negative and aggressive responses associated with opioid victims can make nurses resign and opt for other careers.

Other Alternatives Used Instead of Opioid Prescription

Opioids are vital in pain-relieving of patients. Since these drugs are highly addictive, there are other prescriptions that the nurse practitioners and doctors can subject their patients to. For instance, Dr. Soto (2018) recommends Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories such as Motrin, Advil, Aleve, and Excedrin. Acetaminophen sold as Panadol and Tylenol are perfect for mild to moderate pain; tricyclic anti-depressants such as Gabapentinoids for depression and nerve pain; and non-drug treatments such as massage, ice, physical therapy and exercises for chronic pain.

References

American Nurses Association (2017). Advanced Practice Registered Nurse. https://www.nursingworld.org/web-api/search/go.to?data=%7b%22q%22%3a%22role+of+nursing+practitioners%22%2c%22t%22%3a%222qh7anXVw7M8ZKj19VLReg%3d%3d%22%2c%22h%22%3a%22ANA_Site_Models_Pages_StandardPage%2f_262619d0-61e8-402a-b566-4cb90f71519e_en%22%2c%22u%22%3a%22%2fpractice-policy%2fworkforce%2fwhat-is-nursing%2faprn%2f%22%7d

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2019 Annual Surveillance Report of Drug-Related Risks and Outcomes - United States Surveillance Special Report. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Published on November 1, 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/pubs/2019-cdc-drug-surveillance-report.pdf.

Georgia. Opioid Overdose Surveillance Preliminary County Report, Georgia, 2018. Retrieved from https://dph.georgia.gov/document/document/2018-opioid-overdose-surveillance-preliminary-county-reports/download. Accessed on 19/02/2020.

National Drug Threat Assessment. (2018) U.S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration. October 2018.

Soto (2018). Alternatives for Managing Pain that aren't Opioids. Health Wellness. Beaumont. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiq5Lyp693nAhUDmVwKHU2xDGoQFjAIegQIBBAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.beaumont.org%2Fhealth-wellness%2Fblogs%2Falternatives-for-managing-pain-that-arent-opioids&usg=AOvVaw2pAvDdto5pr7Dy1FkwcadC.