AccuDiagnostics

Posts Tagged ‘drug overdose’

The dangers of drug overdose have been once again highlighted in the global media with the untimely passing of pop superstar Michael Jackson. Reports and rumors have surfaced, alleging Jackson of ingesting Diprivan and numerous other prescription medications.

Diprivan, a powerful anesthetic commonly known by the generic name of ‘propofol,’ is one of the most common general anesthetics in the US. It is used during colonoscopies and other uncomfortable procedures. The drug can be so dangerous that the FDA states that only trained anesthesiologists should administer it.

Beyond drawing negative attention on the drug, however, allegations have risen about Jackson’s use of pseudonyms to obtain medication. Investigators believe that Jackson was able to obtain large quantities of drugs under false names. The physicians who wrote those prescriptions can be held criminally liable and may lose their medical licenses if convicted of knowingly using pseudonyms to prescribe a drug.

People who work closely with the performer recall medical pseudonyms including Omar Arnold, Joseph Scruz and Bill Bray. These names were used to schedule appointments, order tests, and, some suspect, prescribe medications.

This practice is very common, despite the many laws that are broken in the process. In 2001, Winona Ryder was discovered with medications prescribed to six different aliases. Anna Nicole Smith was suspected over receiving medications prescribed to other people as well.

Unfortunately, many physicians prescribe medications under pseudonyms for celebrities in order to protect their privacy. While this is a legitimate concern, it is an unacceptable practice. The use of pseudonyms allows celebrities with addictions to “doctor shop” and amass obscene quantities and doses of medication that no rational, fully aware doctor would allow.

The attention that Jackson’s death is receiving reemphasizes the importance of responsible prescribing by doctors and the need for consumer awareness about drugs, their uses, and the risks involved. Overdose deaths are common and tragic, and could be avoided with proper drug education.

A bold move by the Chicago Recovery Alliance has been credited with saving hundreds of lives. By distributing more than 11,000 anti-overdose kits directly to drug abusers, friends and fellow users have been able to save the lives of overdosing opiate users with a quick treatment of naloxone (brand name Narcan).

Commonly used in emergency rooms and by EMTs, Narcan fails to save thousands of lives each year simply because the abuser does not want to call for help for fear they will be arrested for drug use. The theory behind projects such as the Chicago Recovery Alliance and Project Lazarus (a North Carolina-based naloxone distribution campaign) is that thousands more lives will be saved if the anti-overdose medication is in the hand of the addicts and their friends. After all, opiate overdoses claim more lives per year than AIDS or homicide.

Critics claim that these programs encourage and enable drug use by reducing the risks and dangers of an overdose. By providing users with overdose-reversing medication, critics say, users will feel secure in overdosing again and again. However, the effects of naloxone only last for an hour. After that, a user could return to an overdose state and die.

Supporters believe that the benefits outweigh the risks. Naloxone is considered very safe. It is also extremely effective at reversing overdoses. As of this writing, it is not a controlled substance. It is, however, a prescription medication.

Similar projects exist in 17 states, including New York, Massachusetts, and California. Most Narcan kit and naloxone distribution programs are pilot programs under the observation of local state agencies.

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