Drug overdoses can be slashed by up to 75%

DRUG overdoses could be reduced substantially if treatment programmes are expanded and doctors tackle dual addictions among users, a conference will be told today.

According to the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), heroin users with dual addictions to alcohol, tranquillisers or cocaine pose a huge overdose risk. This risk is slashed by 75% when users begin methadone programmes.

An estimated 8,000 Irish people are heroin users, while a further 6,000 are on treatment programmes. Each year in Ireland, up to 90 people die from drug overdoses, the majority being heroin users.

“Overdoses are very preventable and we believe if doctors take certain strategies and users are better educated, we could substantially cut these deaths,” said ICGP director of Drug Misuse Programme, Dr Ide Delargy.

The ICGP is holding its conference on the ‘Management of Drug Users in the Primary Care Setting’ at Trinity College today.

It wants leaflets to be distributed to drug users and their families which outline the importance of immediately ringing A&Es if a drug overdose is suspected as the first three hours are vital.

Doctors will also be advised to provide psychological support to heroin users with co-addictions, and are also being told to be cautious about prescribing benzodiazepine tranquillisers.

“We don’t have figures on the numbers of people who are using benzodiazepine but it’s very addictive and as a co-addiction with heroin poses a high risk of overdose,” said Dr Delargy.

Doctors are being advised to only prescribe benzodiazepine when drug users desperately need a tranquilliser and to only prescribe it for short periods.

“Ideally, prescriptions shouldn’t be given out for a month as they can be taken all at once or else sold on the street,” she added.

GP’s will also be informed about an alternative to the heroin substitute methadone, which the ICGP hopes will be licensed shortly.

Buprenorphine dissolves under the tongue. It is used in Australia, France, Britain and the US. It’s generally used on users with shorter-term, less-serious habits.

“It isn’t as addictive as methadone and it is easier to detox from. Therefore, users have a greater likelihood of becoming drug free,” said Dr Delargy.