Drug abuse first aid

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Drug abuse first aid

Alternative Names:

Overdose from drugs

First Aid:

1. Check the victim's airway, breathing, and circulation. If necessary, begin CPR at once. If the victim is unconscious but breathing, carefully place him or her in the recovery position. If the victim is conscious, loosen the clothing, keep the person warm, and provide reassurance. Try to keep the victim calm. If an overdose is suspected, try to prevent the victim from taking more drugs. Call for immediate medical assistance.

2. Treat the victim for signs of shock, if necessary. Signs include: weakness, bluish lips and fingernails, clammy skin, paleness, and decreasing alertness.

3. If the victim is having convulsions, give convulsion first aid.

4. Keep monitoring the victim's vital signs (pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure) until emergency medical help arrives.

5. If possible, try to determine which drug(s) were taken and when. Save any available pill bottles or other drug containers. Provide this information to emergency medical personnel.

Do Not:

DO NOT jeopardize your own safety. Some drugs can cause violent and unpredictable behavior. Call for professional assistance.
DO NOT try to reason with someone who is on drugs. Do not expect them to behave reasonably.
DO NOT offer your opinions when giving help. You don't need to know why drugs were taken in order to give effective first aid.

Call immediately for emergency medical assistance if:

You encounter a person who you suspect is experiencing either drug overdose or withdrawal. The Poison Control Center can help. See information on poison centers in the U.S.A. for phone numbers and addresses. Try to find out what drug the victim has taken. If possible, collect all drug containers and any remaining drug samples or the person's vomit for analysis.
The victim has difficulty breathing, has a seizure, is drowsy or unconscious, or shows other life-threatening symptoms.

Review Date: 11/4/2005
Reviewed By: William D. Whetstone, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.