Opioid Withdrawal

Excerpt

Opioid withdrawal syndrome is a life-threatening condition resulting from opioid dependence. Opioids are a group of drugs used for the management of severe pain. They are also commonly used as psychoactive substances around the world. Opioids include drugs such as morphine, heroin, oxycontin, codeine, methadone, and hydromorphone hydrochloride. They produce mental relaxation, pain relief, and euphoric feelings. Chronic use of opioids leads to the development of an incapacitating form of dependence in users. Opioid dependence impacts the drug user and imposes a significant economic burden on society by increasing healthcare costs, unemployment rates, absenteeism, and premature mortality. Studies in some countries have shown that those consequences can cost, on average, 0.2% to 2.0% of a country's gross domestic product.