1 / 68

I’m Sick Man; Common Health Issues of People Who Use Drugs

I’m Sick Man; Common Health Issues of People Who Use Drugs. Erica Schoen, RN, BScN Ashley Schwanke LPN. Principles . Health Promotion – Help clients make better choices about their health, as well as to take control and improve their own health.

kyria
Download Presentation

I’m Sick Man; Common Health Issues of People Who Use Drugs

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript


  1. I’m Sick Man; Common Health Issues of People Who Use Drugs Erica Schoen, RN, BScN Ashley Schwanke LPN Streetworks

  2. Principles • Health Promotion – Help clients make better choices about their health, as well as to take control and improve their own health. • Primary Healthcare – Act as a point of entry into the healthcare system; Occurs at a very grassroots level; incorporates health promotion, disease prevention, and early diagnosis. • Harm Reduction – Reducing the harm associated with drug use; helping people stay safer and healthier. Streetworks

  3. Common Health Problems of IDUs • Skin Infections • Abscess and Cellulitis • Tracking and Bruising • Vein Collapse (Picking a site) Artery vs Vein • Necrotizing Fasciitis • Chalk Lung • Cotton Fever • Embolism • Endocarditis • Septicemia • Overdose • Withdrawal • Levamisole • Multi drug use Streetworks

  4. Skin Infections – Abscess (Boil) • Is a pocket of pus underneath the skin. • Begins as redness, swelling, and tenderness at the site. Develops into an infection with a hard, pus-filled core. • How one gets it – missed hits, dirty technique and or equipment, injecting a solution with lots of particles in it, poor hygiene Streetworks

  5. Streetworks

  6. Streetworks

  7. Abscess Treatment • Treatment – Warm compress, Lancing, Antibiotics • Unable to seek medical treatment – Self Care Streetworks

  8. Abscess Prevention • To prevent getting an abscess always: • Wash your hands • Clean the site • New equipment • Always use filters • Sterile water – No puddles!! Streetworks

  9. Cellulitis • Skin infection - a germ gets into the layers of the skin and spreads. • Usually forms after a boil, ulcer or injury. • The skin becomes very red, hot, tender and swollen. • Treatment – Antibiotics Streetworks

  10. Tracking and Bruising • Track marks are scars that appear along the veins • Bruising can occur when blood leaks out from the vein under the skin • To prevent tracking and bruising always: • Use a new needle every time • Use the thinnest (highest gauge) needle you can find • Inject in the direction of blood flow – towards the heart • Use a tie!! • Put pressure on the site after you pull out - Do not use an Alcohol swab after. • It puts the lotion on its skin – Vitamin E cream Streetworks

  11. Vein Collapse • This happens from repeated injection in that spot, frequent infections, or trauma to the site. • Avoid by rotating • Vitamin C – helps prevent bruising, bleeding, and helps heal • Pick your veins carefully. Streetworks

  12. Pick a Site • Veins are bouncy! Spend time looking for it. • Practice finding veins • Get that vein to pop: Make a fist, Warm compress, Use a Tie . • Rotate! • Work from bottom up. • Save a vein for emergencies • Use safer sights- Do not inject into the jugular Streetworks

  13. Streetworks

  14. Veins vs Arteries • Each one is a one way system but it is all connected • Veins take blood to the heart and lungs • Arteries take blood away from the heart and lungs • It is very dangerous to inject into an artery • When an artery is hit – plunger will push back quickly and the blood is different in color Streetworks

  15. What to do if an artery has been hit • No injecting the drug • Pull out (That’s what she said) • Raise the limb where the needled poked • Press hard on the site for at least 5 minutes of until bleeding stops • If bleeding or swelling or if the leg or arm becomes very painful after 10 minutes go see a Dr. Streetworks

  16. Necrotizing Faciitis (Flesh –Eating Disorder) • Bacterial infection • Enters the body through broken skin • Affects the surrounding tissue and nearby muscle. It spreads really quickly • S &S: fever, redness, swelling, extreme pain at the injection site or wound. • The flesh looks like it is beginning to decay and the area looks like it is being eaten away. • See a Dr immediately • Prevention is most important Streetworks

  17. Streetworks

  18. Chalk Lung • Tiny pieces from drugs can be injected into the blood stream • Veins in your lungs are tiny and when pieces end up there the lungs scar and make it hard to breath! • Misdiagnosis • There is no cure Streetworks

  19. Prevention: Chalk Lung • FILTERING • No Shakers • Eating pills Streetworks

  20. Cotton Fever • Piece of the filter enters the blood stream • What it looks like – Fever, bone aches/pains, feeling of hot and cold at the same time, and shaking. • How to treat it – Rest, Food, Take some ASA or Acetaminophen • Usually gets better within an hr-2hrs. If it last longer it could be something more serious. Streetworks

  21. Endocarditis (Heart infection) • Is an infection of the heart caused by bacteria. . • What it looks like – Fever, chills for a couple of days without any other reason, coughing, SOB, chest pain, feeling tired or weak, and weight loss. • Treatment with IV antibiotics and a hospital stay. • Long term problems • Prevention is the key – NO GERMS!! Streetworks

  22. Septicemia (Blood infection) • Is a serious condition!! • Bacterial infection in the blood stream which travels to all parts of the body. • Symptoms include chills, fever, extreme fatigue and weakness. With severe infection the nervous system can be affected resulting in confusion, disorientation, seizures or a loss of consciousness. • This can be LIFE THREATENING!! • Treatment – You have to see a doctor • Don’t let any infections (Abscess) get out of control. Prevention – safer injection. Sterile equipment always and no sharing ever! Streetworks

  23. Withdrawal Streetworks

  24. Withdrawal • Misuse or overuse of opiates can cause physical dependence. • This means that a person feels the need for the drug to prevent symptoms of withdrawal. • Over time, greater amounts of the drug become necessary to produce the same effect. . Streetworks

  25. Withdrawal • The time it takes to become physically dependent is different for everyone. • When the drugs are stopped, the body needs time to recover, and withdrawal symptoms result. Streetworks

  26. Withdrawal • When it comes to withdrawal, every drug is different • Some drugs produce significant physical withdrawal (alcohol, opiates, and tranquilizers). • Some drugs produce little physical withdrawal, but more emotional withdrawal (cocaine, marijuana, and ecstasy). Streetworks

  27. Emotional Withdrawal Symptoms • Anxiety • Restlessness • Irritability • Insomnia • Headaches • Poor concentration • Depression • Social isolation Streetworks

  28. Physical Withdrawal Symptoms • Sweating • Racing heart • Palpitations • Muscle tension • Tightness in the chest • Difficulty breathing • Tremor • Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea Streetworks

  29. Dangerous Withdrawal Symptoms • Alcohol and tranquilizers produce the most dangerous physical withdrawal. • Suddenly stopping alcohol or tranquilizers can lead to seizures, strokes, or heart attacks. Streetworks

  30. Withdrawal • Opioid withdrawal reactions are very uncomfortable but are not life threatening. • Symptoms include diarrhea, body aches and shakes, stomach cramps, puking, bone pain, sweating, loss of appetite, trouble sleeping, a fast heartbeat, and runny nose/eyes. • Withdrawal sets in about 6 hours after last use, peaks at 48-72 hrs but may continue to experience abstinence syndrome- including depression and cravings for months Streetworks

  31. Overdose Streetworks

  32. Overdose • One of the most serious health consequences with illicit drug use is the risk of overdose • If there is too much of a drug getting to the brain or other organs too fast, dangerous side effects can occur including: Streetworks

  33. Opioid Overdose • Unconsciousness • Heart failure, • Respiratory distress (stopping breathing) • Seizures Any of these conditions could become deadly Streetworks

  34. Overdose • Common causes of Overdose include: • Doing too much of a drug at once • Using too much over a short period • A lowered tolerance (often occurs after detox, hospital stay, jail) • Quality or purity of the drug Streetworks

  35. Upper overdose (ie. Cocaine) • What is an cocaine overdose? • Not actually an “overdose” of cocaine • a cocaine reaction, even causing death can happen at any dose • Depends on personal factors of the user including weight, metabolism and health condition Streetworks

  36. Common Symptoms of cocaine reactions • Severe anxiety, agitation, confusion, headache • Chest pain- lack of O2 to the heart • Rapid pulse/heartbeat • Changes in vision, balance, weakness in arms/legs, difficulty speaking • High blood pressure • Seizures or convulsions • Rise in body temperature Streetworks

  37. Preventing Overdose • Ways to prevent overdoses include: • Knowing your dealer • Doing a tester and taking it extra slow • Using in a safe, comfortable environment • Having Narcan training to reverse an opioid overdose *Remember: your tolerance will be lower if you haven’t used in awhile Streetworks

  38. Factors increasing the dangers of drug use • Environmental factors • Polypharmacy (mixing drugs with alcohol or other drugs) • Cutting agents Streetworks

  39. 1) Environmental factors • The quality of any drug experience is determined not only by the drug itself (potency,purity factors for example) • Also depends on: • how the drug is administered • the environment in which it is taken • the mood or mindset at the time the drug is taken Streetworks

  40. 2) Polypharmacy • Mixing drugs alcohol or other drugs • Can be very dangerous • One of the most common reasons for death from an overdose is mixing drugs-this makes the first drug much stronger and is often too much for the body to handle. Streetworks

  41. Mixing Uppers and Down • Mixing an upper (ie. Cocaine) with a downer (heroin) makes your chance for OD’ing even greater- your body is trying to answer 2 different demands- Speeding up from the upper and slowing down from the opiate. Streetworks

  42. Alcohol and Opiates (down) • Both alcohol and Down (morphine, codeine, heroin) depress the body and its functions • Using alcohol and opiates together increases: • the risk of unconsciousness • Chances that a person will stop breathing and • Death from OD Streetworks

  43. Alcohol and Cocaine • Between 30-60% of individuals who use cocaine combine it with alcohol • The combo of alcohol and cocaine increases risk of illness and death from heart complications, liver toxicity and behaviors leading to personal injury • The risk of sudden death is 25X greater once alcohol is added while using cocaine (then using cocaine alone) Streetworks

  44. Alcohol and Cocaine • Alcohol + Cocaine = • the formation of a third compound in the body: Cocaethylene Streetworks

  45. Cocaethylene • Its effects are similar to those of cocaine, however this compound is far more toxic to the body then alcohol or cocaine use alone • The symptoms of a cocaine reaction can continue for some time after cocaine is last used Streetworks

  46. Cocaethylene • The use of alcohol with cocaine increases the risk of convulsions and death then cocaine use alone • This formation of this compound continues for several hours- sudden deaths may occur 6-12 hours after cocaine use! Streetworks

  47. 3) Cutting agents • The cutting of illegal drugs is common. • To increase value and acceptability of a drug, they may undergo processes such as: • Substitution - replacement of 1 drug with another • Dilution - addition of a substance to use less of the drug • Contamination - adding extra substance by accident and/or • Adulteration - purposely adding a substance with similar characteristics OR properties which increase the effects of the drug Streetworks

  48. Cutting agents • Past cutting agents: • lactose, mannitol, niacinamide (match the appearance of cocaine) • Benzocaine, lidocaine, procaine (cause a localized numbing effect similar to cocaine) Streetworks

  49. Cutting agents • In recent years, there has been an increase in the addition of more serious drugs including: • Acetaminophen (tylenol) • Caffeine • Atropine • Diltiazem • Ritalin • Levamisole Streetworks

  50. Levamisole Streetworks

More Related