Opioid Crisis: Problem, Treatment and Prevention
September 21, 2017
Opioid misuse, including the non-medical use of prescription opioids, e.g., OxyContin, Vicodin and Percocet and the use of non-pharmaceutical or illicit opioids, e.g. heroin and fentanyl, is a fast growing public health problem and primary cause of unintentional deaths nationwide. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every day 44 people die of a prescription drug related overdose. The National Center for Health in Public Housing, SAMHSA-HRSA for Integrated Health Solutions and Baltimore Department of Public Health recently discussed the opioid epidemic with public housing residents and residents services managers. We offered them educational resources and demonstration of the use of intranasal Narcan (Naloxone) for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose.