Training bystanders to spot drug overdoses can reduce deaths

January 31, 2013 in Health

Training bystanders to recognize and respond to drug overdoses can significantly reduce the number of fatalities, finds a study published in BMJ today.

Overdoses of are a major cause of emergency and preventable death in many countries. In Massachusetts, annual opioid-related overdose deaths have exceeded motor vehicle deaths since 2005, so several strategies have been introduced to tackle this growing problem.

For example, overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) programs train drug users, their families and friends, and potential bystanders to prevent, recognize, and respond to opioid overdoses. OEND participants are trained to recognize signs of overdose, seek help, rescue breathe, use (a drug that reverses the effects of opioid overdose), and stay with victims.

From 1996 to 2010, over 50,000 potential bystanders were trained by OEND programs in the United States, resulting in over 10,000 opioid overdose rescues, but their impact on death rates and hospital use has not been examined in controlled studies.

A team of researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC), Boston University Schools of Medicine (BUSM) and Public Health (BUSPH) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH), set out to evaluate the impact of OEND programs between 2006 and 2009.

They analysed annual opioid-related overdose deaths, emergency department and acute hospital use from 2002 to 2009 in 19 Massachusetts communities with high levels of opioid overdose where there was no, low and high OEND implementation.

After adjusting for factors such as age, sex, ethnicity, poverty, "doctor shopping" for prescription , and , they found a significant reduction in opioid-related in communities where OEND was implemented compared with those where it was not. There appeared to be a dose-related impact, where the higher the cumulative rate of OEND implementation, the greater the reduction in death rates.

However, no significant differences in emergency department and acute hospital use were found. This, say the authors may be because the program encourages bystanders to engage the emergency medical system if they suspect an overdose.

"This study provides observational evidence that by training potential bystanders to prevent, recognize, and respond to opioid overdoses, OEND is an effective public intervention," they conclude.

More information: www.bmj.com/cgi/do… 136/bmj.f174

Journal reference: British Medical Journal (BMJ) search and more info website

Provided by British Medical Journal search and more info website

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Relevant PhysicsForums posts

More news stories

Study focuses on new mums' sleepiness and injury risk on the road

New mothers throughout Australia are needed to help QUT sleep researchers investigate whether the disrupted sleep experienced by mothers when caring for their new baby raises the risk of injury while driving.

Health created 9 seconds ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Portland, Ore., rejecting water fluoridation

(AP)—The mayor of Portland, Ore., has conceded defeat in an effort to add fluoride to the city's drinking water.

Health created 52 minutes ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Life expectancy gap widens between those with mental illness and general population

The gap between life expectancy in patients with a mental illness and the general population has widened since 1985 and efforts to reduce this gap should focus on improving physical health, suggest researchers in a paper ...

Health created 13 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Failure to use linked health records may lead to biased disease estimates

Failure to use linked electronic health records may lead to biased estimates of heart attack incidence and outcome, warn researchers in a paper published in BMJ today.

Health created 13 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Dietary advice on added sugar is damaging our health, warns heart expert

Dietary advice on added sugar is damaging our health, warns a cardiologist in BMJ today. Dr. Aseem Malhotra believes that "not only has this advice been manipulated by the food industry for profit but it is actually a risk ...

Health created 13 hours ago | popularity 5 / 5 (4) | comments 0


Italy approves law on controversial stem cell therapy

Italian lawmakers on Wednesday gave their final approval to a law that allows limited use of a controversial type of stem cell therapy which has been condemned by many scientists but has given hope to families of terminally-ill ...

Japan hospital tests powerful breast cancer therapy

A Japanese cancer specialist said Wednesday she has started the world's first clinical trial of a powerful, non-surgical, short-term radiation therapy for breast cancer.

Mysterious illness kills two in southeast Alabama

(AP)—Alabama health officials say a mysterious respiratory illness has left five people hospitalized and two dead in the southeastern part of the state.

Targeting the X-factor to tackle cardiovascular disease

New research at The University of Nottingham aimed at preventing harmful blood clots associated with heart disease and stroke has recently received a major funding boost from the British Heart Foundation.

Study says empathy plays a key role in moral judgments

Is it permissible to harm one to save many? Those who tend to say "yes" when faced with this classic dilemma are likely to be deficient in a specific kind of empathy, according to a report published in the scientific journal ...

Phthalates: Study links chemicals widely found in plastics, processed food to elevated blood pressure in children, teens

Plastic additives known as phthalates (pronounced THAL-ates) are odorless, colorless and just about everywhere: They turn up in flooring, plastic cups, beach balls, plastic wrap, intravenous tubing and—according to the ...