9: Management of opiate misuse Flashcards
What is diamorphine also known as?
Heroin
How does heroin affect your mood initially?
Euphoria
Sedation
What properties of heroin make it highly addictive?
Short onset of action
Short half life (provokes cravings)
Which plant does opium come from?
Poppy
What are the two main constituents of opium?
Morphine
Codeine
How is morphine, from opium, changed into diamorphine?
Addition of 2 acetyl groups
What are the two most common routes of administration of heroin?
Why?
IV
INH
fastest absorption into bloodstream
IV and INH heroin bypass ___ ___ ___.
first pass metabolism
What is diamorphine metabolised into?
Morphine
which is the active metabolite
What is the most common opioid receptor?
Mu receptor
Heroin and codeine are both broken down into morphine.
How do you tell what a patient has used in a drug screen?
Heroin has a unique intermediate which sticks around for 6h
What are the
a) desired
b) side effects
of heroin?
a) Euphoria, analgesia
b) Constipation, N&V, sedation, respiratory depression, hypotension and bradycardia
What is a sign, seen in the eyes, that someone has used an opioid?
Pupillary constriction
What process occurs with repeated use of opioids?
Tolerance
Patients using opioids may report that their teeth are rotting.
What causes this?
Analgesia - patient unaware of dental problems e.g abscess
Vomiting - breakdown by stomach acid
What are some symptoms of opioid withdrawal?
Opioid cravings
GI symptoms - N&V, diarrhoea
Cardio symptoms - tachycardia, hypertension
Joint pain
Rhinorrhoea
Watery eyes