...A Comparison of Methadone and Suboxone in Opioid Treatment Program Julien Nougarou Upper Iowa University Abstract Addiction to opioids is a common problem throughout the world. Maintenance treatments such as Methadone and Suboxone are effective in lessening the desire to consume illicit drugs, but they are not perfect options for drug treatment as each has negative effects, too. In this paper, both the positive and negative effects of the drugs Methadone and Suboxone will be determined and evaluated in order to better ascertain the better treatment. It was concluded that the effectiveness of each treatment can only be determined on a case-by-case basis, as the factors of success are often dependent on the patient receiving the treatment. There are various criticisms for both modes of treatment, but no other means of treating opioid addiction have yet to be found. There are improvements that could be made for both treatments, but regardless of improvements each mode of treatment is risky as there is no miracle cure for opioid addiction. Introduction In 1864, The New York State Inebriate Asylum, the first in the country, opened in Binghamton, NY. It was the first of a growing network of inebriate asylums that treated alcoholism and addiction to drugs such as opium, morphine, cocaine, chloral, ether, and chloroform. Today, when talking about opioid addiction and dependency treatments, two controversial but efficient treatments stand out from the lot: Methadone and Suboxone...
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...This paper will analyze the cause of the sentinel event which occurred to Mr. B, a sixty seven year old patient which presented to the emergency room with left leg pain. A root cause analysis will be necessary in this case to investigate the causative factors which led to Mr. B’s sentinel event. The factors in this unfortunate case weather they were errors in his care, or hazards in the system will be identified. The Change theory will be used to develop an improvement plan that will be used to decrease the chances of a reoccurrence of the sentinel event that happened to Mr. B. in the scenario. Root Cause Analysis A root cause analysis, is a system that is used to develop a plan that will identifying the causative factors of an adverse event and formulate a plan to decrease the occurrence or chances of a sentinel event. A team consisting of , a member of the hospital administration, a pharmacist, a respiratory therapist, a charge nurse or nurse manager, a physician, and a member of the family board should be brought together to perform a root cause analysis in this case. These team members would have a meeting to discuss the factors that led to Mr. B’s sentinel event. The first step would be for the team to begin interviewing the staff involved with the case to gather as much data as possible. The data that would be needed include, Mr. B’s vital signs, laboratory results, pain scores, a history of medication that he was given during his time in the emergency room in addition...
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...this issue? In recent years the abuse with prescription medications has come to a ridiculous number in the last decade across the world. I hope this paper helps you understand the significance of this worldwide problem. What is prescription medication abuse? Prescription medication abuse is when someone takes medication prescribed by doctor in a manner or dosage other than prescribed, or when someone takes prescription medication from somebody else and uses it in a manner or dosage other than prescribed (na, 2011). Abuse can include taking a friends or relatives’ prescription to get high, to relieve pain, or help with medical issue without seeing a physician. There is a reason why prescription medications are prescribed by a doctor, prescription medications are dangerous when taken with other medications or not taken properly. In many cases this may cause severe illness or even death. The most common abused medication is opioids. Opioids include pain relievers such as: Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet’s. These opioids are dangerous because not only do they get you high they are highly addictive. In some cases opioids can be administered in more ways than oral. “Most prescription drugs come in pill or capsule form. Sometimes,...
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...The opioid epidemic has been a growing issue in America, referring to the increased use and dependence of opioid prescriptions. Opioids are strong pain-killers and in recent years, they have been abused for recreational use. In Molly Jeffery’s research, “Opioid Prescribing for Opioid-Naive Patients in Emergency Departments and Other Settings: Characteristics of Prescriptions and Association with Long-Term Use,” it compares opioid prescriptions in the Emergency Department to other clinical settings to see which patients are more likely to become long term users. The objective of this research was to observe the relationship between opioid prescriptions in the Emergency Department and their risk of current use, which can be used as a precaution...
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...of second-degree murder for the murders of three of her patients Vu Nguyen, 28, Steven Ogle, 25, and Joey Rovero, 21 who all fatally overdosed from prescription drugs she had prescribe. According to this article, “Dr. Tseng is among a small but growing number of doctors charged with murder for prescribing painkillers that killed patients.” In this case it seems as the Dr. Tseng was more worried about money then the lives of people who were in her care. Dr. Tseng was...
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...and an antispasmodic. While opium is made up of a “cocktail” of drugs, the most active is morphine. In recent years, other derivatives for example heroin have been widely used.(IC) Studies have shown that as many or up to 50 alkaloids can be derived from opium and further processed. It distinctively originates from two groups, phenanthrones and morphine, in which I morphine is the most prevalent alkaloid, formulating up 10-16% of the entire drug(IC). Opioids are primarily used to treat pain, but if often abused for a euphoric feeling it causes. Opium can be consumed several different ways, the most common and traditional way is by ingestion. Smoking opium allows for the effects to be more controlled, as it is not really smoked, but vaporized. Another common method of administration requires making opium in the form of a tea and drinking it. This method is more dangerous than inhalation...
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...As one prescription drug abuser in his early 20’s explained: Once people (pill brokers) know you take them prescription opioids, they’ll start calling you. “Oh, it’s this time of the month.” Then they wait for that person to get their script. They know exactly in their head what day the script’s getting ready to come so they got the patterns down. Pill brokers and dealers reported congregating in open air drug markets typically strip mall and pharmacy parking lots, and outside methadone clinics to buy, sell, and trade prescription drugs. These markets were reported to involve a variety of transactions, including the purchase of prescription drugs for cash, as well as trades for crack and heroin. Pill brokers also reported the purchase of used fentanyl patches from nurses who have stolen them from pain patients or from disposal containers in hospitals. Some individuals frequenting the drug markets also barter their oxycodone for other opioids or benzodiazepines, typically alprazolam. Doctor Shopping focus group participants indicated that even in a small state like Delaware, doctor shopping appeared to be fairly easy. The vast majority of abusers reported obtaining medications through doctor shopping, and most reported frequenting at least four physicians in order to obtain sufficient amounts of their desired medications. Occasionally clinics and hospital emergency rooms were reported as locations for doctor shopping as well. A heavy user stated: Another focus group member...
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...HurtingHealing & Rough Draft Peggy Matthews COM/172 6/9/2014 Mrs. Clarke Healing & Hurting Rough Draft Marijuana and opiates help when there’s pain you cannot naturally fight. But when abused they both get you higher than a kite. Medical Marijuana and opiates are used for pain relief, but are widely used for substance abuse. What is Marijuana? Is it an illegal drug? Or is marijuana a medical breakthrough? The United States Government contradicts itself everyday with this issue. The United States Government allows all states to pass bills if they so choose to, allow medical marijuana to be used as treatment for patients with chronic pain and recreational use. The other states are absolutely against the legalization of medical marijuana, saying “it is immoral”. What is the history behind Marijuana? I am going to take you on a journey ten thousand years ago in ancient civilization. Marijuana also called Cannabis was used for fiber. The humans in this time period also used the hemp seed for food. It was only natural that they discovered the medical properties of the plant. Cannabis was actually used for a list of reasons such as hemorrhoids, insomnia, headaches, pain, and even childbirth. But that was some time ago. In the 1970’s scientist were able to extract the THC from the plant. Thus making a synthetic version of the plant, and calling it Marinol. Marinol was approved from the Government and the FDA to be prescribed to patients. It was used to treat anorexia...
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...Medication Sheet Medication/Dose/RouteClassificationGeneric/Trade Name | Action | ContraindicationAdverse Effects | Nursing Considerations | Acetaminophen/500mg/ By MouthAntipyretic& Analgesic (nonopioid)Acetaminophen/TylenolCarvedilol/6.25mg/By MouthAlpha- and beta-adrenergic blocker & AntihypertensiveCarvedilol/CoregDocusate Sodium/100mg/By MouthLaxative stool softenersDocusate Sodium/ColaceFurosemide/40mg/By MouthLoop diureticsFurosemide/Lasix | Reduces fever by acting directly on the hypothalamic heat-regulating center to cause vasodilation and sweating, which helps dissipate heat.Carvedilol causes vasodilation by blocking the activity of α-blockers, mainly at alpha-1 receptors. It exerts antihypertensive effect partly by reducing total peripheral resistance and vasodilation. It is used in patients with renal impairment, NIDDM or IDDM.Promotes incorporation of water into stool, resulting in softer fecal mass, may also promote electrolyte and water secretion into the colon. It increases the amount of water and fat absorbed by the feces, softening the stool and making it easier to pass.Inhibits the reabsorption of sodium and chloride from the loop of Henle and distal renal tubule. Increases renal excretion of water, sodium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. | Contraindicated with allergy to acetaminophen. Use cautiously with impaired hepatic function, chronic alcoholism, pregnancy, lactation. Adverse effects CNS: Headache CV: Chest pain, dyspnea, myocardial...
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...Running head: CASE STUDY LS Mental Health Case Study LS Nicole Castro College of Southern Nevada Division of Nursing Mental Health Nursing Clinical NURS 243C-S10 Micki Lin Mongogna-Alarcon, MA, BSN, RN October 18, 2010 Mental Health Case Study DM Demographic Data: LS is a 44 year-old female of African and Hispanic decent. She was born in California but moved to Las Vegas as a teenager. She stated that she attended Clark High School and went to a “stewardess college” in California. She worked as a stewardess for 4 years and quit in 1986. Her father was African-American and her mother is Hispanic. She has 4 brothers and 2 sisters. She is married and lives with her husband and his son in their private home. She has two children, fathered by her ex-husband, who are now in custody of LS’s mother. Her children were taken away from her, by the court, due to her abuse of drugs and alcohol. LS stated that her father abused alcohol and that all of her brothers and sisters abused drugs and were diagnosed with bipolar disorder. LS stated that she started noticing symptoms of what she thought was depression 6 years ago but was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2005. Her chart stated that she has had an 11 year history of bipolar disorder. Presenting Problem: LS stated that she had not been taking her medications for four days because her husband forgot to pick up her medications from the pharmacy. However, her chart stated that she was off of her medications...
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...Medical Malpractice Court’s Decisions Recent studies on 232 court cases dealing with medical malpractice over a 5-year period (2006-2010), were evaluated according to medical discipline, diagnosis, therapy, relevant level of care, negligence, lawsuits and other criteria (Knaak & Parzeller, 2014). Expectations are high when it comes to modern medical treatment. There can be many arising complications associated with potential malpractice. Such complications are unavoidable and can definitely lead to expensive and timely lawsuits. From a patient’s perspective, malpractice is solely in hands of the physician’s liability. There is an established principle of ‘duty to care’ by Donoghue v Stevenson in 1932, where Lord Atkin identified that a medical professional should treat their patient with reasonable care to avoid foreseeable injury to a ‘neighbour’ (Bryden & Storey, 2011). As stated by Bryden et al. (2011), when a duty of care is breached, circumstances of liabilities and negligence may arise. Malpractice Lawsuits According to Michon, (n.d.) the definition of medical malpractice cases can happen when a patient is harmed by a doctor or any other medical professional who fails to provide proper health care treatment. For example, prescribing a high dosage of opioids and oxycodone painkillers that resulted in a few deaths could lead you to face 30 years to life in prison. According to Myers on ABC News, (2016) Dr. Hsiu-Ying “Lisa” Tseng was convicted of second-degree...
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...Abstract This investigation explores both short and long term effects of psychedelic drugs on the brain, citing research from fifteen peer-reviewed sources. Within the paper are biological explanations of how psychedelics trigger various effects by interacting with serotonin and dopamine receptors. Following this are case studies in psilocybin mushrooms, salvinorum A, and dextromethorphan. Medical studies administering these psychoactive substances to participants illustrate classic hallucinogenic symptoms in the short term, as well as a heightened state of well-being in the long term. Given no pre-existing disorders and a controlled environment, one dosage of each drug generally made a positive impact in the subjects’ lives, even months later. Further research into the subject reveals the potential of psychedelic therapy in fields such as addiction rehabilitation, depression, and anxiety management. However, with these benefits comes a risk of temporary intense fear and substance addiction. Knowing this, patients should weigh the pros and cons before deciding to try any drug....
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...Vicodin Table of Contents Background………………………………………… Page 1 Hydrocodone……………………………………….. Page 1 and 2 Acetaminophen……………………………………... Page 2 and 3 History and Social Impact…………………………. Page 3 and 4 Drug Abuse…………………………………………. Page 5 and 6 Conclusion…………………………………………... Page 6 and 7 Appendix …………………………………………… Page 8 and 0 Defined Terms……………………………………… Page 10 Work Cited…………………………………………. Page 11 Background: Vicodin is an orally taken painkiller composed of a combination of acetaminophen and hydrocodone, classifying it as an opioid pain reliever. In this capacity, Vicodin will bind to opioid receptors and reduce the sending of pain messages to the brain 1. Opioid receptors are used to control pain, slow breathing, and have a general calming affect. In a regular Vicodin tablet, there is 5mg of hydrocodone, which reacts with the 300mg of acetaminophen 2. Individually, hydrocodone and acetaminophen are medically used drugs that are used to relieve pain, however when employed together they having a much more hard-hitting effect. The combined drug works similar to other opiates by travelling along neurological pathways and increasing dopamine levels, resulting in euphoria and pain relief 3. Currently, Vicodin is classified as a level three controlled substance due to its tendency to cause psychological dependence, potential abuse, and its acceptance for medical treatment in the United States. As of 2006, more than 6.4 million people reported that they had misused Vicodin...
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...possession cases. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data, the overall crime rate in the state is down 10.1% from 2013, and violent crimes have decreased by 5.2%. Cannabis possession arrests were down 84% and arrests for growing and selling it were down 90%. Dispensary burglaries are at an all-time low. Law enforcement officers are setting an example of acceptable and unacceptable use of marijuana by ticketing those who use marijuana in public areas with a civil...
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...possession cases. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting data, the overall crime rate in the state is down 10.1% from 2013, and violent crimes have decreased by 5.2%. Cannabis possession arrests were down 84% and arrests for growing and selling it were down 90%. Dispensary burglaries are at an all-time low. Law enforcement officers are setting an example of acceptable and unacceptable use of marijuana by ticketing those who use marijuana in public areas with a civil...
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