Symptoms and consequences of an overdose of painkillers

Painkillers and NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) can in most cases be found in the medicine cabinet in every home. This is a very common drug group. Medicines are taken to reduce fever, relieve pain, and eliminate other discomfort and symptoms.

Do they pose a danger to the human body?

«Everything is medicine and everything is poison - it's all a matter of dose».

Paracelsus

The danger of overdosing on painkillers

In some cases, when indicated, doctors prescribe opioid treatment to patients.
These are very dangerous drugs that cause drug addiction quite quickly. All you have to do is not follow the doctor’s prescription, increase the period of use and dosage specified in the instructions or allowed by the doctor, and the dependence on the pills is in your pocket.

Opioids have great analgesic activity, so their abuse can easily lead to severe poisoning and even death.

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Diagnostic methods

You can diagnose hypertension at home, if you have a working tonometer. However, the disease may have its own characteristics and occurs for various reasons. It is important to undergo a full examination to determine why your blood pressure is rising. This information will help you choose an effective treatment regimen, as well as prevent further development of the disease. After examining and measuring blood pressure, the doctor may prescribe the following diagnostic methods:

• MRI of the head is one of the most effective methods, which is used when there is a suspicion of increased intracranial pressure, the presence of neoplasms and foci of ischemia;
• Dopplerography of the vessels of the neck and head is an informative technique that involves studying blood flow using a contrast agent;
• clinical and biochemical blood tests - allow you to evaluate the chemical composition of the fluid and determine protein metabolism disorders;
• X-ray of the cervical spine - spondylosis, osteochondrosis and other diseases that lead to compression of blood vessels and increased blood pressure in them will be visible in the pictures.

The Clinical Brain Institute has all the conditions to undergo a complete examination for headaches and high blood pressure. To confirm the diagnosis, the patient will be offered consultations with specialists of a narrow and broad profile. This will allow you to comprehensively consider the disease and select treatment that will affect not only the symptoms, but also the cause of the disease.

Causes of poisoning

More than 12% of drug poisoning and overdose cases involve NSAIDs. Non-opioid analgesics are widely available and can be purchased at any pharmacy, as they are vital supplies. However, it is impossible to buy narcotic painkillers without a prescription. Their free distribution without a prescription is punishable by law. Painkillers often contain codeine, which is sought after by drug addicts.

Why does poisoning occur with painkillers:

• failure to comply with instructions or doctor's prescription;
• incorrect reception;
• doctor's error;
• increasing dosage;
• lack of knowledge about taking medication;
• low body resistance;
• combination with alcohol, drugs, other drugs;
• cumulative effect due to prolongation of the course of treatment;
• taking the drug for recreational purposes;
• intake during pregnancy;
• when attempting suicide.

Among the most dangerous non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is phenacetin, previously contained in such drugs as Sedalgin and Askofen. This analgesic quite often caused the development of allergic reactions and disruption of internal organs. Today, a substance used as an antipyretic, paracetamol, is used to a greater extent in medicine.

If the patient takes the medicine as prescribed and prescribed by the doctor, an overdose of analgesics and local anesthetics occurs quite rarely. However, most often an overdose of anesthetics is used by drug addicts to achieve euphoria. Pharmacy drugs have long become a source of cheap “high” for them.

Treatment of headaches with high blood pressure

An acute attack of headache can be relieved with analgesic drugs. These include Citramon, Analgin and other products that are in the simplest home medicine cabinet. However, to control blood pressure levels, an individual treatment regimen is prescribed. It depends on the cause and stage of hypertension, the patient’s age, the presence of concomitant diseases and other factors. It may include drugs from different groups.

1. Selective beta blockers are drugs that reduce the heart rate, which leads to a decrease in pressure on the internal walls of blood vessels. This group includes Bisoprolol, Metoprolol and their analogues.
2. Calcium channel blockers (Cordafen, Felodipine) are often prescribed for the complex treatment of hypertension because they have no side effects. They prevent the penetration of excess calcium ions into the walls of blood vessels. This causes them to expand and relax, as well as slowing down the rapid heartbeat.
3. Medicines from the nitrate group (Nitrong, Kardiket) are used for significant increases in blood pressure. They will help reduce it in the short term, but are not suitable for long-term use.
4. Alpha blockers (Phentolamine) are drugs that quickly relieve vascular spasms and restore blood movement through the arteries.
5. Diuretics (Furosemide, Lazex) are diuretics. They are suitable for taking in a course and are used in the treatment of chronic hypertension. These drugs stimulate the removal of excess fluid and control the volume of circulating blood.
6. Antispasmodics are a group of drugs that quickly relieve vascular spasms. This group includes No-Shpa, Spazmalgon and other drugs that are suitable for eliminating headaches of any origin.

If your blood pressure often rises and your head hurts, this requires complex treatment. Doctors at the Clinical Institute of the Brain will select the optimal regimen, which will include only the necessary drugs. They should be taken at home and blood pressure should be measured periodically. In addition, doctors will prescribe a therapeutic diet with a reduced amount of salt, fatty foods and processed foods. To treat hypertension, it is also necessary to give up bad habits, smoking and drinking alcohol.

Overdose symptoms

Symptoms of an overdose of painkillers and NSAIDs depend on the individual characteristics of the human body, the drug taken and its dosage. In some cases, a person may become ill even after taking a therapeutic dose. Therefore, in order to prevent poisoning from local anesthetics and narcotic analgesics, it is necessary to strictly follow the instructions, which necessarily indicate the maximum daily dosages.

Acute poisoning with narcotic analgesics

Painkillers have different effects on the body, so the dose that can lead to intoxication is different.

Signs of poisoning:

• dizzy;
• be sick;
• vomiting occurs;
• It's difficult to breathe;
• weakness, drowsiness;
• increased sweating;
• loss of consciousness;
• pallor, cyanosis;
• the temperature drops;
• constipation, upset stomach;
• weakening of the pulse;
• swelling;
• pressure drop;
• convulsions, tremors.

Among the first signs: lethargy, drowsiness, lethargy, breathing problems. The condition is deteriorating quite quickly. Common complications that arise from an overdose of anesthetic: cerebral edema, pulmonary edema, cardiac arrest, renal failure. A severe overdose of local anesthetics manifests itself in paralysis of the respiratory center. If you do not call an ambulance in time, the risk of death is close to 75%.

Free phone number for a narcologist in Moscow and throughout Russia: 8 (800) 333-20-07. .

It is important to understand that a person who is poisoned by pills can fall into a coma. Even after emerging from this state, irreversible health consequences are possible: mental disorders, dysfunction of certain internal organs.

For recreational purposes, addicts often overdose on painkillers such as Tempalgin or Nurofen to achieve euphoria. Often, to enhance the effect, pharmaceutical drugs are mixed with alcohol and barbiturates, which significantly increases the intoxication of the body and increases the risk of death.

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Non-narcotic analgesics

Non-opioid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in pharmacology include drugs that do not have narcotic potential and are not used by drug addicts. These medications are used as anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, painkillers, etc. Regarding doses, for example, if the daily dose, according to the instructions, is 4 grams, then death can occur even after consuming 15-20 g.

Symptoms of Paracetamol overdose:

• liver dysfunction (the medicine is a dangerous toxin for the liver, causes bleeding disorders, hepatitis);
• disruption of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach pain, nausea, vomiting);
• damage to the central nervous system (drowsiness, weakness, lethargy);
• metabolic disorder;
• low pressure;
• renal failure (nephritis and other kidney diseases);
• disruption of the cardiovascular system due to general intoxication;
• encephalopathy.

Acute poisoning can last for 10-12 hours. You can also be poisoned by the drug if you use it for a long time in an increased dosage, as it accumulates in the tissues of the internal organs. Paracetamol is part of many modern drugs sold in pharmacies, including Spazmolex and Pentalgin. These are dangerous pharmaceutical drugs that addicts use to get a “high.” Often such substances are used for the purpose of suicide attempts.

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Salicylic acid and salicylates

It is quite easy to get poisoned by this common drug among people; it is enough to consume 10-40 g. The dosage of tablets is individual and depends on the condition of the patient’s body. Death is possible in 2% of cases.

Signs of salicylate poisoning:

• your head is spinning, your ears are ringing, your consciousness is confused;
• headache;
• hallucinations, hearing loss;
• chills, cramps;
• euphoric sensations;
• pain in the abdomen, under the ribs, heartburn;
• nausea, vomiting, upset stomach;
• violation of movement coordination;
• excited state;
• deterioration of cognitive functions;
• disruption of the functioning of the heart and blood vessels, internal organs;
• arrhythmia and tachycardia;
• increased fatigue;
• breathing problems, shortness of breath.

When using salicylic acid, for example, Aspirin in large quantities, internal bleeding may occur.

Features of headaches in hypertension

Pressure headaches are the result of impaired vascular ability to adapt to external and internal changes. Blood presses on the inner walls of blood vessels, irritating the receptors. These signals travel to the brain, where they are converted and cause pain. In advanced stages of the disease, this condition is accompanied by increased fluid pressure inside the skull, which also causes severe headaches.

Chronic hypertension manifests itself as alternating periods of rest and increased blood pressure. During attacks, the patient has a very headache, the pressure in the arteries rises sharply. This can be caused by a number of factors:

• physical or mental fatigue - in this case, to normalize blood pressure indicators, it is enough to pay attention to proper rest;
• changes in weather conditions - a sharp increase in atmospheric pressure often provokes attacks of hypertension, which can be eliminated with rest and medications;
• abnormal physical activity – causes acceleration of blood flow and heart rate, which is dangerous if the elasticity of the blood vessels is insufficient;
• pregnancy – hormonal changes cause attacks of hypertension;
• unhealthy diet – consuming excess amounts of salt and spices leads to impaired removal of fluid from the body, swelling and an increase in the volume of circulating blood.

Headache with high blood pressure has its own characteristics. It can be caused by various reasons, so it is usually classified into vascular, liquor, ischemic and neuralgic. In most patients, it spreads to the temples and back of the head. It is sharp, pressing, and leads to impaired concentration. With a sharp increase in pressure, hearing and vision deterioration and fainting may occur.

Vascular pain

The main cause of vascular syndrome is a violation of the outflow of fluid from the brain. Arteries and veins fill with blood, tissue swelling is observed. This leads to irritation of nerve receptors and an increase in pain. The pain in the head with pressure is pressing, the pulsation of blood vessels is felt. It intensifies if you lower your head down, as well as with sudden movements, coughing and sneezing.

Liquor syndrome

Another reason why headaches occur with pressure is a violation of the movement of cerebrospinal fluid. This is a special fluid that is found in the brain and spinal cord. It performs a shock-absorbing function, protects soft tissues from compression and regulates pressure in the skull. Normally, it circulates constantly, but in case of vascular pathologies, heart disease and chronic hypertension, it is retained in the brain. This process is accompanied by aching, bursting pain, which intensifies during sudden movements of the head. The process is dangerous because the cerebrospinal fluid also contains nutrients for nerve cells. If fluid circulation is not stimulated, this can lead to cerebral ischemia and trigger a stroke.

Ischemic pain syndrome

The cause of headaches and pressure can be spasm of blood vessels. This leads to insufficient oxygen and nutrients reaching certain areas of the brain. The patient also experiences hearing and vision impairment, dizziness, a sharp increase in blood pressure and weakness. Attacks are relieved by using antispasmodics; rest and means to normalize the functioning of the nervous system are also useful.

Neuralgic pain

Increased pressure inside the skull affects all nerve structures. Excess cerebrospinal fluid leads to compression of the trigeminal nerve, which is responsible for the innervation of the skin and muscles of the face. The pain in this case is sharp, throbbing, concentrated in the facial part. It worsens during movement, bending and turning the head.

Additional symptoms

It is important for a patient with chronic hypertension to know how a headache occurs with high blood pressure. It has several features that indicate a simultaneous increase in blood pressure:

• headache spreads to the back of the head and temporal parts of the head;
• the nature of the pain is pressing, there is a feeling of expansion of the contents of the skull;
• filling of blood vessels leads to redness of the skin and mucous membranes, minor hemorrhages are possible due to damage to the walls of the capillaries;
• ringing or noise in the ears is a typical sign of high blood pressure;
• blurred vision, the appearance of various hallucinations in the form of black dots or circles before the eyes;
• weakness, fatigue, decreased performance;
• dizziness, nausea;
• a sharp increase in blood pressure is the cause of fainting.

If your head starts to hurt severely, you need to measure your blood pressure. The procedure can be carried out independently, using a tonometer. This device should be in every home medicine cabinet, even if there are no patients with chronic hypertension in the family. Headaches go away after blood flow is restored and pressure is normalized, including with individually selected medications.

Emergency help

The consequences of an overdose of painkillers and drug poisoning are quite serious; without timely emergency medical care, a person can die. If you know that a loved one has taken too many medications, is using pharmaceutical drugs, and you see that he is turning pale and looks sick, you should immediately call a narcologist from the Center for Healthy Youth to your home. Delay in this case can cost your life. Of course, specialists at home will do everything possible to help the victim, but it is necessary to hospitalize him in a hospital for examination, intensive care and resuscitation.

Overdose of painkillers - what to do?

1. Call our drug treatment center.
2. Make sure the victim is conscious.
3. Find out which particular drug caused the intoxication of the body.
4. Try to determine the approximate dose.
5. Lay the victim on his side and ensure that he does not choke on vomit.
6. Provide fresh air, ventilate the room, remove clothing that may block breathing.
7. Monitor your blood pressure, pulse and breathing.
8. In case of mild or moderate poisoning, it is necessary to rinse the stomach, give the person activated charcoal or an enterosorbent known to you.
9. If a person is not breathing or has no pulse, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is necessary.

If a person’s condition is serious, doctors at the drug treatment clinic begin to provide assistance on the way to the hospital. Naloxone is most often used for poisoning with narcotic analgesics. It is an opioid receptor antagonist, an antidote, which is widely used in modern narcology. It is used when coding alcoholism and drug addiction to reduce cravings for chemicals.

If the victim has trouble breathing, he may need a ventilator. Doctors prescribe treatment based on tests, examinations, examinations and diagnostics. It is important to understand that therapy is always individual and depends on existing indications and contraindications.

Contraindications for hypertension

Headache with hypertension has its own characteristics. To get rid of it, it is necessary to relax the vascular walls and cause their expansion, as well as stimulate the outflow of excess fluid. At home, it is prohibited to take the following measures to treat pain caused by increased blood pressure:

• be in a stuffy room;
• take a hot bath, visit a bathhouse or sauna;
• drink coffee or natural strong tea, which also contains high concentrations of caffeine;
• buy or drink alcoholic beverages.

It is important to understand that treatment tactics and first aid differ for high and low blood pressure. Before taking medications, you must use a tonometer, and then periodically monitor the readings. It is especially important to monitor them in case of vegetative-vascular dystonia, a chronic disease in which blood pressure periodically changes both up and down.

Convulsions

You might think that seizures occur only with epilepsy. Therefore, when they appear, anticonvulsants are definitely needed. In addition to epilepsy, there may be many other conditions that have nothing to do with it, but which may be accompanied by seizures:

• Cerebrovascular disease, age over 75 years, and hemorrhagic strokes often cause the onset of acute symptomatic seizures.
• Traumatic brain injuries.
• Infectious diseases of the central nervous system (meningitis, encephalitis, HIV infection).
• Oxygen starvation of the brain.
• Intoxication of the body.
• Taking medications.
• Acute metabolic disorders, for example, hypoglycemia in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, electrolyte imbalance.
• Withdrawal syndrome when stopping alcohol consumption.
• Taking large doses of alcohol.
• Taking psychotropic drugs (psychotropic stimulants - cocaine, crack, ecstasy).
• Temperatures above 38.5°C in children under 7 years of age can cause febrile seizures.
• Liver failure.
• Parkinson's disease.

Therefore, self-administration of anticonvulsants without a doctor’s prescription is prohibited. First you need to establish the cause of the problem and only then treat it.

Prevention methods

Most patients are diagnosed with acquired hypertension. This means that timely prevention will help avoid its occurrence and strengthen blood vessels. At home you need to follow simple rules:

• provide daily moderate exercise;
• spend time outdoors;
• control weight, prevent the development of obesity;
• follow the principles of proper nutrition;
• to refuse from bad habits.

The Clinical Brain Institute offers individual programs for diagnosing and treating headaches caused by high blood pressure. Here you can get competent advice from doctors, undergo a full examination and monitor the dynamics of the development of the disease. Hypertension is not dangerous if you follow the recommendations, take medications on time and avoid situations that provoke increased blood pressure.

NSAID gastropathy

In the scientific literature, this problem is called “NSAID gastropathy.” The term was first proposed in 1986 to distinguish specific damage to the gastric mucosa that occurs with long-term use of NSAIDs from classic peptic ulcer disease.

The difference between NSAID gastropathy and peptic ulcer disease can also be traced by the affected area. Most often, ulcers can be seen in the stomach, and not in the duodenum. Plus, the changes are more common in older people than in younger people.

Sources:

• Scripter C. Headache: Tension-Type Headache. FP Essent. 2018 Oct;473:17-20. PMID: 30346680.
• Espí-López GV, Zurriaga-Llorens R, Monzani L, Falla D. The effect of manipulation plus massage therapy versus massage therapy alone in people with tension-type headache. A randomized controlled clinical trial. Eur J Phys Rehabil Med. 2021 Oct;52(5):606-617. Epub 2021 Mar 18. PMID: 26989818.
• Marks DR, Rapoport AM. Practical evaluation and diagnosis of headache. Semin Neurol. 1997;17(4):307-12. doi: 10.1055/s-2008-1040943. PMID: 9474710.
• MacGregor E.A. Contraception and headache. Headache. 2013 Feb;53(2):247-76. doi: 10.1111/head.12035. PMID: 23432442.
• Allais G, Gabellari IC, De Lorenzo C, Mana O, Benedetto C. Oral contraceptives in migraine. Expert Rev Neurother. 2009 Mar;9(3):381-93. doi: 10.1586/14737175.9.3.381. PMID: 19271947.
• Friedman DI. Headache and the eye. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2008 Aug;12(4):296-304. doi:10.1007/s11916-008-0050-1. PMID: 18625108.

Published on the portal health.mail.ru

Some numbers

Some statistics. In the UK, approximately 24 million NSAIDs are prescribed per year. 70% of people over 70 years of age take NSAIDs once a week, and 34% daily. In the United States, up to 6 billion worth of NSAIDs are sold annually. As a result, the risk of developing gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) increases 3–5 times, perforation by 6 times, and the risk of death from complications by up to 8 times. Up to 40–50% of all cases of acute gastrointestinal tract infections are associated with NSAIDs.

This problem is also relevant in our country, for example, according to the Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery named after. A.N. Bakulev, out of 240 patients taking aspirin daily, even in small doses, gastroscopy revealed lesions of the stomach and 12 p.c. in 30% (of which ulcers - in 23.6%, erosions - in 76.4%). A similar picture was observed among colleagues from the All-Russian Research Institute of Rheumatology of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences - in 2126 patients taking NSAIDs without “covering” (protection) of the stomach, erosions and ulcers of the gastroduodenal zone were found in 33.8% of cases. These are very impressive and dramatic numbers of complications from taking NSAIDs, considering the number of people using these drugs in developed countries.