overdose

Overdose describes the ingestion of a drug or other substance in quantities greater than are recommended or generally practiced, and can lead to death. Drug overdoses are sometimes intentional, as in committing suicide, but many drug overdoses are accidental and are usually the result of either irresponsible behavior or the misreading of product labels. It often happens as a result of the use of multiple drugs (such as combining heroin or certain prescription pain medications with cocaine, amphetamines, or alcohol.) Substances that commonly cause overdose are alcohol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, opioids, stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine, and drug “cocktails” such as heroin and cocaine together.



Articles Related to overdose

Corey Haim Dies of Apparent Prescription Drug Overdose

Former teen idol Corey Haim died Wednesday morning of an apparent drug overdose, according to Los Angeles police. Haim, who has battled an addiction to prescription drugs for years, collapsed in the bedroom of his mother’s Oakwood apartment just before 1 a.m., police sources told TMZ.com.
March 10th, 2010 | Research & News | Read More

Study Examines Sudden Deaths Related to Cocaine Use

Forensic pathologists have shown that over three percent of all sudden deaths in southwest Spain are related to the use of cocaine. They believe their findings can be extrapolated to much of the rest of Europe, indicating that cocaine use is a growing public health problem in Europe and that there is...
January 13th, 2010 | Cocaine | Read More

Opioid-Related Deaths Continue to Rise in Canada

Opioids and the long-acting oxycodone appears to be a popular choice in Ontario, Canada. According to a new study in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) and a release in Science Daily, deaths from opioids in Ontario have doubled since 1991 and the addition of oxycodone has resulted in a five-fold...
December 9th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Family Says Plane Crash Caused DJ AM’s Death

The family of hitmaker Adam Goldstein (DJ AM) is suing the parties it blames for the late star’s 2008 plane crash, insisting that the incident ultimately caused his death. Goldstein was found dead in his Manhattan apartment in August 2009, and the cause of death was determined to be an overdose...
November 16th, 2009 | Research & News | Read More

Anna Nicole Smith’s Drug Addiction Detailed

A psychiatrist who treated Anna Nicole Smith for drug dependency during her pregnancy said she tried to set up a program to wean her off prescription painkillers but found the celebrity model uncooperative and hostile during her stay in the hospital.
October 19th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Post-Doctoral Student Studying Drug Addiction Dies After Injecting Buprenorphine

Marianne Woessner sees drug addicts with good jobs and from good families nearly every day. The North Carolina nurse and midwife recently made the discovery that her own daughter was in this category when she was told by a Baltimore police officer that her daughter, Carrie Elisabeth John, died after...
October 1st, 2009 | Types of Addiction | Read More

Anna Nicole Smith Given Dangerous Drugs

Sworn statements by investigators revealed that Anna Nicole Smith was given many dangerous drugs over the three years before her death, including while she was pregnant. Two doctors charged in connection with Smith’s death allegedly also had personal relationships with their patient, the court...
September 22nd, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Jackson: Lethal Amounts of Propofol in System

Toxicology results finally showed that Michael Jackson had lethal amounts of the drug propofol in his system when he died. Los Angeles coroner Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran reached that preliminary conclusion after reviewing toxicology results carried out on Jackson’s blood, according to an affidavit.
August 23rd, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More

Prescription Drug Abuse Called an Epidemic in Kentucky

In 2005, prescription drug abuse killed more than 8,500 Americans, and it is estimated that more than 7 million Americans abuse prescription drugs every year. In fact, the DEA reports that opioid painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin now cause more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined. While...
July 8th, 2009 | Prescription Drug Addiction | Read More