Symptoms and Severity of Drug Withdrawal
- Symptoms occur upon abrupt discontinuation or decrease in drug intake
- Dependence can be physical, psychological, or both
- Withdrawal symptoms vary with the type of drug consumed
- Opiate withdrawal symptoms include anxiety, sweating, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Alcohol withdrawal symptoms include irritability, fatigue, shaking, sweating, and nausea
- Severity of withdrawal symptoms can be influenced by the route of administration
- Withdrawal from certain drugs can be fatal, such as barbiturates, benzodiazepines, alcohol, and glucocorticoids
- Withdrawal from opiates can cause miscarriage in pregnant individuals
- Withdrawal symptoms can be more dramatic when the drug has masked other underlying conditions like malnutrition, chronic pain, or infections
- Genes that encode for the alpha5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor affect withdrawal symptoms for nicotine and alcohol
Impact on Homeostasis
- Homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain chemical equilibrium
- Drug usage and withdrawal impact homeostasis
- Internal systems adapt neurotransmitter, hormone, and substance levels to adjust for the presence of drugs
- Stopping medications without physician supervision can be dangerous for conditions like diabetes, asthma, and heart conditions
- Medication prioritization and discontinuation can decrease costs and risks, and focus therapies where they are most effective
Anti-hypertensive Drugs
- Discontinuing vs continuing anti-hypertensive medications in older adults may not have a significant effect on mortality and heart attack incidence
- Older adults should consult healthcare professionals before stopping any medications
- Evidence suggests it may be safe to stop anti-hypertensive medications, but caution is still advised
- Anti-hypertensive medications should not be discontinued without medical guidance
Related Concepts
- Chemical dependency, drug detoxification, and drug tolerance are related concepts
- Hangover, neonatal withdrawal, and rebound effect are also associated with drug withdrawal
- Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS) can occur after the acute withdrawal phase
- The Medication Appropriateness Tool for Comorbid Health Conditions in Dementia (MATCH-D) emphasizes careful monitoring of withdrawal symptoms in people with dementia
- References: MeSH Browser, Laguna Treatment Hospital, Malenka RC et al., Nestler EJ, Koob GF et al., Volkow ND et al.
Withdrawal of Specific Drugs
- Opiate and opioid withdrawal should be managed gradually and closely monitored
- Withdrawal of psychiatric drugs should be done gradually and under supervision
- Withdrawal of antihypertensive drugs in older people should be done with caution and under medical supervision
- Classification codes for drug withdrawal (ICD-10 codes: F10.3-F19.3, ICD-9-CM code: 292.0) provide a standardized system for classification and accurate medical coding and record-keeping.
Drug withdrawal Data Sources
| Reference | URL |
|---|---|
| Glossary | https://www.alternix.com/blogs/glossary-of-terms/drug-withdrawal |
| Wikipedia | http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_withdrawal |
| Wikidata | https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q498902 |
| Knowledge Graph | https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/064qvry |
