Alcohol and Injectable Opiates
Alcohol and injectable opioids are both central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which means they slow down the activity of the brain. When these substances are combined, their effects can be additive, meaning they can potentiate each other and cause an even greater level of CNS depression. This can lead to dangerous side effects such as impaired motor function, slowed breathing, and a decreased heart rate, which can be life-threatening. Additionally, the combination of alcohol and injectable opioids can also increase the risk of overdose and other complications, such as coma or respiratory failure.
When a person consumes alcohol, it passes through the stomach and small intestine and is absorbed into the bloodstream. From there, it travels to the brain where it affects the function of certain neurotransmitters, including GABA and glutamate. These neurotransmitters play a role in regulating mood, behavior, and other cognitive functions. Alcohol increases the activity of GABA, which can lead to feelings of relaxation and pleasure. It also reduces the activity of glutamate, which can cause impairments in cognitive function, such as memory loss, difficulty thinking clearly, and slowed reaction time.
Opioid drugs, whether they are taken orally or injected, work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and other organs in the body. This activates the reward pathways in the brain and produces a feeling of pleasure and pain relief. Injectable opioids are typically more potent than oral forms, and they can produce a faster and more intense high. However, they also come with a higher risk of overdose and other side effects, such as drowsiness, slowed breathing, and a decreased heart rate, which can be dangerous.
Over time, repeated use of injectable opioids can lead to physical dependence and addiction, as the brain becomes accustomed to the presence of the drug and requires more and more of it to achieve the same effects. This can lead to withdrawal symptoms when the drug is stopped, and it can also increase the risk of overdose and other complications.
Studies show that concomitant alcohol consumption increases the maximum plasma concentration of opioids and reduces the time to reach this concentration. That is, opioids under alcohol can act faster and stronger. A person dramatically increases the risk of overdose if they combine alcohol and injectable opioids
Well, the very additional pleasure for which people can go for this combination becomes a harbinger of even more problems. Since the simultaneous use of ethanol and opioids to some extent enhances the positive subjective effects, it contributes to abuse and perpetuation of dependence, which is already one of the most powerful among substances.
A little about the sequence. It is doubtful that anyone would want to drink alcohol after the direct administration of opioids. But to decide on an injection after a certain amount of alcohol and under the pressure of the environment, circumstances, and momentary impulses are more likely.
In this scenario, more prosaic consequences of reduced control join the above - a person in a state of intoxication may forget or not attach importance to the rules of hygiene, and asepsis, use someone else's syringe, rush and disrupt the injection process, which will affect the condition of the veins. The consequences of such behavior carry fewer risks than acute life-threatening conditions, but can also undermine health and ruin life and therefore deserve attention.
All things considered, we recommend avoiding the combination of alcohol and injectable opioids.
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