Two-thirds of opiate-related deaths are ‘preventable’

MORE people die from opiate abuse than road traffic accidents in Dublin, yet two-thirds of the former are preventable, according to an expert in drug overdose.

There were 83 opiate-related deaths in Dublin in 2001 compared to 53 road fatalities. And 253 people died in traffic accidents between 1998 and 2001 compared with 332 opiate-related deaths in the same period.

Dr Michael Ryan, founding director of the Dublin Opiate Overdose Reaction Strategy (DOORS), said the Government could cut the number of opiate-related deaths for a fraction of the money it invests in tackling road safety.

“It costs more than €1 million to prevent one road death through money spent on policing, traffic signs and advertising,” the Dublin GP said.

“Opiate-related deaths could be prevented for far less through investing in strategies such as DOORS, which concentrates on educating people on how to deal with overdose.

"It would mean less ambulance call-outs to attend overdoses, it would mean less pressure on A&Es and less requirement for long-term hospitalisation for those who survive overdoses but are left permanently brain-damaged by the lack of oxygen incurred during the overdose,” Dr Ryan told the Irish Medical Times.

Dr Ryan said there was sufficient evidence to show that two-thirds of opiate-related deaths could be prevented and that educating families and friends of those at risk from overdose could save countless lives.

“Most of these deaths occur in the home or in the home of a friend. Usually there is time to intervene, it is not an immediate death.

"Simple knowledge of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or turning someone on their side to avoid choking on their own vomit can save a life. These basic measures can buy time until professional help arrives.”

Dr Ryan said there was also a fear of legal implications, that by being at the scene of an overdose, many believed they could be charged with manslaughter, which is not the case.

Dr Ryan said the majority of opiate-related deaths “invariably” involved heroin but almost all involved a cocktail of drugs such as methadone, alcohol and benzodiazepines (including tranquillisers and sleeping pills known as “benzos” ).

He called on the Government to invest in the DOORS strategy.

“Just as there is no single answer to preventing road deaths, there is no single approach to the problem of overdose. This is why we have developed a coordinated, multi-pronged strategy which is now ready for implementation,” Dr Ryan said.

The majority of opiate-related deaths occurred among young, otherwise healthy males aged 20-30.