Drug use first aid
Drug use is the misuse or overuse of any medicine or drug, including alcohol. This article discusses first aid for drug overdose and withdrawal.
Drug use
Substance use is the continued use of alcohol, illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter medicines with negative consequences....
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleOverdose
An overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleConsiderations
Many drugs and medicines can cause harm if taken incorrectly or misused. Many street drugs, such as methamphetamine or crack cocaine, have no known beneficial use in any amount.
Medicines that are used to treat a health problem can be misused, either accidentally or intentionally. This can occur when people take more than the normal dose or if the medicine is taken with alcohol or other medicines.
Drug interactions may also lead to side effects. So, it is important to let your health care provider know about all the medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, supplements, medicines from other countries, and other medicines or drugs you bought without a prescription.
Many drugs and medicines are addictive. Sometimes, the addiction is gradual. And some drugs (such as cocaine and opioids) can cause addiction after only a few doses. Addiction means that a person has a strong urge to use the substance and can't stop, even if they want to.
Cocaine
Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine comes as a white powder, which can be dissolved in water. It is available as a powder or...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSomeone who has become addicted to a drug usually will have withdrawal symptoms when the drug is suddenly stopped. Treatment can help prevent or lessen withdrawal symptoms.
A drug dose that is large enough to cause harm to the body (toxic) is called an overdose. This may occur suddenly, when a large amount of the drug is taken at one time. It may also occur gradually as a drug builds up in the body over a longer period. Prompt medical attention may save the life of someone who has an overdose.
Causes
An overdose of narcotics can cause sleepiness, slowed breathing, and even unconsciousness.
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleWhen prescription medicines are taken in higher than prescribed amounts, serious side effects may occur. Uppers (stimulants) produce excitement, increased heart rate, and rapid breathing. Downers (depressants) do the opposite.
Stimulants
Stimulants are drugs or medicines that increase your heart rate, breathing rate, and brain function. Some stimulants affect only a specific organ, s...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleRapid breathing
Hyperventilation is rapid and deep breathing. It is also called overbreathing, and it may leave you feeling breathless.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleMind-altering drugs are called hallucinogens. They vary widely in effect and include drugs like peyote and LSD, which primarily affect serotonin receptors in the brain, as well as ketamine and PCP (angel dust), which affect multiple receptors in the brain. These mind-altering substances are not well understood and in some cases may cause paranoia, dangerous behaviors, or extreme social withdrawal.
LSD
LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide. It is an illegal street drug that comes as a white powder or clear colorless liquid. It is available in ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePCP
Phencyclidine (PCP) is an illegal street drug that usually comes as a white powder, which can be dissolved in alcohol or water. It can be bought as ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleParanoia
Paranoid personality disorder (PPD) is a mental condition in which a person has a long-term pattern of distrust and suspicion of others. The person ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCannabis drugs such as marijuana may cause relaxation, impaired motor skills, and increased appetite.
Marijuana
Marijuana comes from a plant called hemp. Its scientific name is Cannabis sativa. The main active ingredient in marijuana is THC (short for delta-9...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleSymptoms
Drug overdose symptoms vary widely, depending on the specific drug used, but may include:
- Abnormal pupil size or pupils that don't change size when light is shined into them
- Agitation
Agitation
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Seizures, tremors
Seizures
A seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Delusional or paranoid behavior, hallucinations
- Difficulty breathing
Difficulty breathing
Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Drowsiness, coma
- Nausea and vomiting
- Staggering or unsteady gait (ataxia)
Staggering
Walking abnormalities can be caused by many different types of problems. Problems with the joints, (such as arthritis), bones (such as deformities),...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleAtaxia
Uncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Sweating or extremely dry, hot skin, blisters, rash
- Violent or aggressive behavior
- Death
Drug withdrawal symptoms also vary widely, depending on the specific drug used, but may include:
- Abdominal cramping
Abdominal cramping
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Agitation, restlessness
Restlessness
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Cold sweat
- Delusions, hallucinations
- Depression
Depression
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for shor...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
- Seizures
- Death
First Aid
1. Check the person's airway, breathing, and pulse. If needed, begin CPR. If unconscious but breathing, carefully place the person in the recovery position by log rolling the person toward you onto their left side. Bend the top leg so both hip and knee are at right angles. Gently tilt their head back to keep the airway open. If the person is conscious, loosen the clothing and keep the person warm, and provide reassurance. Try to keep the person calm. If you suspect an overdose, try to prevent the person from taking more drugs. Call for medical help right away.
CPR
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an emergency life-saving procedure that is done when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stoppe...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleUnconscious
Unconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article2. Treat the person for signs of shock. Signs include weakness, bluish lips and fingernails, clammy skin, paleness, and decreasing alertness.
Shock
Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleBluish lips and fingernails
A bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePaleness
Paleness is an abnormal loss of color from normal skin or mucous membranes.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article3. If the person is having seizures, give first aid for seizures.
First aid for seizures
A seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article4. Keep monitoring the person's vital signs (pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure, if possible) until emergency medical help arrives.
Vital signs
Vital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article5. If possible, try to determine which drug(s) were taken, how much and when. Save any pill bottles or other drug containers. Give this information to emergency personnel.
Do Not
Things you shouldn't do when tending to someone who has overdosed:
- Do not put your own safety in danger. Some drugs can cause violent and unpredictable behavior. Call for medical help.
- Do not try to reason with someone who is on drugs. Do not expect them to behave reasonably.
- Do not offer your opinions when giving help. You don't need to know why drugs were taken in order to give effective first aid.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Drug emergencies are not always easy to identify. If you think someone has overdosed, or if you think someone is having withdrawal, give first aid and seek medical help.
Try to find out what drug the person has taken. If possible, collect all drug containers and any remaining drug samples or the person's vomit and take them to the hospital.
Vomit
Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleIf you or someone you are with has overdosed, call 911 or the local emergency number or the poison control center, which can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
At the hospital, the provider will perform a history and physical examination. Tests and procedures will be done as necessary.
These may include:
- Activated charcoal and laxatives to help remove swallowed drugs from the body (sometimes given through a tube placed through the mouth into the stomach)
- Airway and breathing support, including oxygen, a face mask, tube through the mouth into the trachea, and breathing machine (ventilator)
- Blood and urine tests
- CT scan of the head, neck, and other areas
- Chest x-ray
- ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
- Intravenous fluids (fluids through a vein)
- Medicines to reverse the effects of the drugs
- Mental health and social work evaluation and assistance
In serious cases, the person may need to be admitted to the hospital for further treatment.
Outcome depends on many things, including:
- The type and amount of drugs
- Where the drugs entered the body, such as through the mouth, nose, or by injection (intravenous or skin popping)
- Whether the person has other health problems
Prevention
Many resources are available for treating substance use. Ask your provider about local resources.
Resources
The following organizations are a good resource for information on drug dependence:National Institute on Drug Abuse -- nida. nih. govSubstance Abuse ...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleReviewed By
Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Bernard SA, Jennings PA. Pre-hospital emergency medicine. In: Cameron P, Little M, Mitra B, Deasy C, eds. Textbook of Adult Emergency Medicine. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 29.1.
Barret W, Iwanicki JL. THC and hallucinogens. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 145.
Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.
SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website. Opioid overdose. www.samhsa.gov/medications-substance-use-disorders/medications-counseling-related-conditions/opioid-overdose. Updated March 29, 2024. Accessed June 12, 2024.
Weiss RD, Liebschutz JM. Drug use disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 365.