Thread by @Dr_ArpitParmar

Today is International Overdose Awareness day.
Sharing some facts about opioid overdose (the most common cause of drug overdose morbidity and mortality):
1) About 2.1% of the Indian population uses recreational opioids (as per national survey 2019)
#Opioid
#OverdoseAwarenessDay

2) There are around 8.5 Lakh people who inject drugs (PWID) in India. Opioids (heroin and buprenorphine) are the most common drugs used by PWID in India. PWID is a unique subpopulation of people who use drugs (PWUD), especially prone to opioid overdose.

3) Extramedical opioid use is associated with a risk of fatal opioid overdose. Worldwide, around 0.5 million deaths are attributable to drug use (~70% related to opioids, with more than 30% deaths caused by overdose).

4) No such data from India (at least as per my reading). Our small community-based study reported 45% of non-fatal opioid overdose rates (a strong predictor of future fatal overdose) among PWID. @saini_romil @drrvrao
Link: cutt.ly/aWkwZb4

5) Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using buprenorphine or methadone helps prevent opioid overdose. Sadly,<10% people who need such treatment are receiving it worldover.

6) MAT is scarcely available in India. One in 20 affected by drug use disorders receive any treatment EVER. As per one estimate, ~30-40K patients receive this treatment in India (There are around 77 Lakh problem users of opioids)!

7) Finally, naloxone is a drug that rapidly reverses opioid overdose. In countries like the USA, friends/families of patients are trained (apart from police officers, emergency medical technicians, and other first responders) on how to give naloxone. This is lacking in India.

8) Two commonly used formulations of naloxone: Injectable and nasal. It quickly restores breathing and is devoid of significant side effects. Increased distribution of naloxone to laypersons could avert more than 20% overdose deaths.
End