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Heroin
| Common names | Terms commonly used to refer to the substance:
|
|---|---|
| Classification | Central nervous system depressant:
|
| Mechanism of action |
|
| Routes of administration |
|
Effects sought out by the user
- Analgesia
- Euphoria (heightened sense of well-being)
- Sedation
- Soothing
Common adverse effects
- Constipation
- Constricted pupils
- Decreased respiratory rate
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Dysphoria (sadness, anxiety, irritability)
- Headache
- Irregular periods in women
- Itching
- Loss of interest in sex
- Mood swings
- Nausea and vomiting
- Poor nutrition
- Sweating, clammy skin
The most harmful physical consequences associated with heroin addiction depend on how it is taken, the impurities found within the drug and the person's living conditions.
The most serious effects are usually the result of intravenous use and the use of contaminated needles and syringes (skin infections, tetanus, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, etc.).
Overdose effects
- Cardiorespiratory depression
- Coma
- Death
Tolerance (need to increase the dose to feel the same effect)
Yes. Develops quickly.
Addiction
Yes (physical and psychological). It can develop very quickly, within a few weeks in most cases.
Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms usually begin within 6 to 12 hours after the last use. They reach their peak over the next 24 to 72 hours, and most symptoms resolve within about one week.
- Abdominal pain
- Anxiety
- Chills and tremors
- Diarrhea
- Excessive sweating
- Fever
- Hypertension
- Intense drug cravings
- Malaise
- Muscle aches
- Mydriasis (dilation of the pupils)
- Runny nose
- Tachycardia (increased heart rate)
- Vomiting
- Watery eyes
| Route of administration | Onset of action | Duration of action |
|---|---|---|
| By intravenous injection, smoked, or snorted | A few seconds | 3 to 5 hours |
| By subcutaneous or intramuscular injection | Within 20 minutes | 3 to 5 hours |
Intoxication management
- Antidote available: naloxone. This medication is available without a prescription in most pharmacies. Ask your health care provider where to obtain it and how to use it if needed.
- Treatment is mainly symptomatic.
Many different street drugs are sold under the same name. Furthermore, nothing guarantees the quantity, purity or even the content of a street drug in spite of the fact that it may, in some cases, look like medication.
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