Opioids and designer drugs

Abstract

Despite the increasing use of other illicit drugs, opioid abuse, overdose, and the ensuing medical complications continue to pose management challenges for the emergency physician. Heroin use is increasing as abusers of cocaine seek a drug to prolong cocaine's effects while blunting the postcocaine depression. Clandestine chemists have created newer, more powerful compounds--designer drugs--whose potencies are many-fold that of the presently available opioids. Aggressive airway support and use of naloxone enable the emergency physician to salvage many of these patients, leaving the many medical complications of parenteral and inhalational use as the greatest management challenge.