Opioid Basics
Which drug is now responsible for defining today's opioid crisis?
Fentanyl
Which body system interprets pain?
The nervous system
Which body function causes most fentanyl overdose deaths when it becomes suppressed?
Breathing (respiratory depression)
Which medication can reverse an opioid overdose?
Naloxone (Narcan)
What term describes needing more of a drug to get the same effect?
Tolerance
Is fentanyl a natural, semi-synthetic, or fully synthetic opioid?
Fentanyl is fully synthetic.
What specialized receptors detect painful stimuli?
Nociceptors
Fentanyl commonly slows the movement of which body system?
The digestive system
Does naloxone activate opioid receptors or block them?
It blocks them (opioid antagonist).
During withdrawal, does pain sensitivity increase or decrease?
Increase
Name two natural opiates derived from the poppy plant.
Morphine and codeine
Which brain structure acts as the relay station for pain signals before they reach the cortex?
The thalamus
Why does fentanyl reach the brain so quickly?
It is highly lipid soluble and rapidly crosses the blood-brain barrier.
Why can Narcan make someone suddenly feel very sick?
It rapidly triggers opioid withdrawal.
Besides pain relief, name one process that endogenous opioids help regulate.
Stress, reward, or survival responses.
What term describes chemicals made naturally by your body that activate opioid receptors?
Endogenous opioids (endorphins, enkephalins, dynorphins)
Which pathway carries pain signals from the body to the brain?
The ascending pain pathway
Approximately how much more powerful is fentanyl than heroin?
About 50 times more potent
Name two common symptoms of opioid withdrawal.
sweats, chills, anxiety, rapid heart rate, increased pain sensitivity, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches..etc.
Why is a relapse after detox especially dangerous?
Tolerance has decreased.
Which opioid receptor is primarily responsible for fentanyl's effects?
Mu (μ) opioid receptor
Which brainstem structure helps reduce pain by activating descending opioid pathways?
The periaqueductal gray (PAG)
Why can fentanyl become deadly even with a small increase in dose?
Because the difference between a safe dose and a dangerous dose is very small.
Why might someone overdose after relapsing even if they previously tolerated that same dose?
Their tolerance decreases during abstinence, making the previous dose potentially fatal.
Which part of the brain changes over time, causing a person to continue using opioids despite harmful consequences?
The brain's reward and motivation system