A recent drug treatment study released by Chang-Guo Zhan of the University of Kentucky suggests that natural enzymes may be a successful treatment for an overdose of cocaine. The few treatment methods currently available for overdoses do very little and may even result in death. If this enzyme treatment works as Zhan believes, it could save thousands of lives every year.
How The Body Naturally Treats Cocaine Overdose
This drug poses a significant threat to the user because even the smallest amounts can cause severe damage and even death. When someone takes a hit, it raises his or her blood pressure, restricts the amount of oxygen to the heart, and possibly complicate breathing. If your body is sensitive to these reactions or take too much, you overdose leading to seizures, breathing problems, and heart failure. This can occur regardless of how much or how often you take the drug.
Under normal conditions, these substances add water to the drug causing a series of chemical reactions. When the process is complete, only two completely innocent ingredients are left behind. The biggest downside is that it takes a minimum of 90 minutes for trace amount of the drug to be broke down.
With an overdose, the required time for the process can increase to 12 hours or more leading to a high rate of death and permanent injury. The enzyme method that Zahn is introducing into society merely speeds up a natural process.
New Cocaine Treatment Research
To determine how to modify the natural substance, the cocaine treatment experts identified the precise reaction that required the most energy and gave the cells a boost. In the end, they only modified 5 of the 574 amino acids found in the enzyme to create a new molecule. The new drug treatment works quickly enough to prevent any permanent damage to the body or its nervous system. In fact, they react and break down the drug 2000 times faster than normal.
To test this, researchers gave 18 mice a lethal dose of the drug and injected 12 of them with the new cocaine treatment. They found that all six of the subjects who did not receive the new drug treatment and two of those who did all died. The other 10 mice survived. If this treatment does become available to emergency rooms across the country, it will become the world's first overdose preventative.
Possible Risks Of This New Drug Treatment
The experts believe that because the modified version is so close to the original, there is a very low risk of severe side effect. However, this cocaine treatment does present a few concerns. It is believed this drug treatment would have to be administered within a short time of the overdose in order to be effective. Some experts also worry that these new super enzymes may breakdown other substances in the body that are needed for normal life processes.
What Does This Mean?
This new concept is only in the testing phase, but should things go well, this could offer a significant amount of help for addicts. The modified enzymes could play an important role in the rehabilitation of cocaine users. While it won't stop them from using, it is possible that it could help to speed up and lessen the effects of the dry-out phase. Researchers are hopeful that it will help save the lives of those who overdose.
Until this new cocaine treatment has been thoroughly tested and approved, there isn't much available in terms of help. It doesn't guarantee that the patient will survive either. When an overdose occurs today, lowering the victim's body temperature and heart rate is the only real drug treatment medical staff have forcing them to wait it out and hope. In the end, something will certainly be better than nothing.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Residential Drug Rehabs Reveal Five Tips For Staying Clean
Talk to anyone who has come out of residential drug rehabs, stopped smoking, or has gone through AA, and they will tell you that getting through the initial program is only half the battle. Once addicts have overcome their initial addiction and they return to their normal lifestyle many find themselves tempted back to their old ways. This common problem is not easy to overcome and it may likely never go away. Drug rehab experts say the five following tips can greatly reduce your risk of relapsing regardless of your addiction.
1. Learn A New Way To Battle Stress
Most addicts turn to their vice when they are faced with a stressful situation or difficult choice. After leaving residential drug rehabs or other method to overcome addiction, reducing stress is still important, but you need a different way of doing that. Some people go for a walk, some listen to music, and others knit. Whatever it is, make sure it is something that you enjoy doing so that you don't have to make yourself do it and add to an already stressful day. Some drug rehab experts say that carrying a rock or small item in your pocket is enough -- simply rub it or move it around with your fingers so that you are forced to think about something else.
2. Avoid Temptation
Most people use their drug at a certain time or in a certain place say drug rehab experts. For smokers, this is often with their first cup of coffee in the morning. For shopping addicts, this could be lunch hours spent at the mall. Identify when these danger times are for your and eliminate it from your life. Smokers can have juice in the morning after having a shower while the shopaholic can avoid malls completely.
3. Choose A Healthier Lifestyle
Residential drug rehabs say addicts often choose friends and lifestyles that surround their addictions. Their friends often share the same addiction making it difficult to resist the urges to relapse. It also helps if you make your addiction difficult to come back. Remove the substance or problem from the home and try not to carry cash. If you are a former smoker, toss the ashtrays and give away your lighters.
4. Remind Yourself Why You Quit
As time goes by, it can be difficult for the addict to remember why they sought help to begin with. Experts from many of the leading residential drug rehabs recommend that you do what you need to so that you don't forget. Put signs up in your bathroom with bullet points stating the benefits of overcoming your addiction. Most experts agree that having friends and loved ones help by taking time to remind you why you quit can have remarkable effects on the after-care of an addict.
5. Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself
Take time out on a regular basis to congratulate yourself on a job well done. Rejoicing in even the smallest steps is often all most former addicts need. This added boost to your motivation is enough to remind yourself why you started in the first place and gives you the encouragement to start new goals.
While nothing will guarantee that a relapse will not occur, drug rehab experts say these five methods can make a significant impact on the addict's chance of success. As a last little piece of advice, residential drug rehabs recommend that all former addicts should seek help immediately if they find their life starting back in the opposite direction.
1. Learn A New Way To Battle Stress
Most addicts turn to their vice when they are faced with a stressful situation or difficult choice. After leaving residential drug rehabs or other method to overcome addiction, reducing stress is still important, but you need a different way of doing that. Some people go for a walk, some listen to music, and others knit. Whatever it is, make sure it is something that you enjoy doing so that you don't have to make yourself do it and add to an already stressful day. Some drug rehab experts say that carrying a rock or small item in your pocket is enough -- simply rub it or move it around with your fingers so that you are forced to think about something else.
2. Avoid Temptation
Most people use their drug at a certain time or in a certain place say drug rehab experts. For smokers, this is often with their first cup of coffee in the morning. For shopping addicts, this could be lunch hours spent at the mall. Identify when these danger times are for your and eliminate it from your life. Smokers can have juice in the morning after having a shower while the shopaholic can avoid malls completely.
3. Choose A Healthier Lifestyle
Residential drug rehabs say addicts often choose friends and lifestyles that surround their addictions. Their friends often share the same addiction making it difficult to resist the urges to relapse. It also helps if you make your addiction difficult to come back. Remove the substance or problem from the home and try not to carry cash. If you are a former smoker, toss the ashtrays and give away your lighters.
4. Remind Yourself Why You Quit
As time goes by, it can be difficult for the addict to remember why they sought help to begin with. Experts from many of the leading residential drug rehabs recommend that you do what you need to so that you don't forget. Put signs up in your bathroom with bullet points stating the benefits of overcoming your addiction. Most experts agree that having friends and loved ones help by taking time to remind you why you quit can have remarkable effects on the after-care of an addict.
5. Don't Be Too Hard On Yourself
Take time out on a regular basis to congratulate yourself on a job well done. Rejoicing in even the smallest steps is often all most former addicts need. This added boost to your motivation is enough to remind yourself why you started in the first place and gives you the encouragement to start new goals.
While nothing will guarantee that a relapse will not occur, drug rehab experts say these five methods can make a significant impact on the addict's chance of success. As a last little piece of advice, residential drug rehabs recommend that all former addicts should seek help immediately if they find their life starting back in the opposite direction.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
What Is The Best Drug Rehab?
What is the best drug rehab and how do I know it’s the best. These are all common questions people ask about drug and alcohol addiction and rightfully so. When trying to find the best type of treatment program there are few things to consider. First a good program is always going to offer long term care. If you call a drug rehab facility and all they offer is 21, 28 or 30 days of treatment than you know at the point they do not offer any effective type of help for addiction. 21, 28 and 30 days programs were started because insurance companies would only pay for 21, 28 or 30 days of rehab.
An inpatient drug rehab is usually the best form of treatment because they can focus on the underlying issues. When a program incorporates replacement drug therapy this can become very dangerous and make the problem even worse. Holistic drug rehab programs usually have the highest success rate so make sure to find these.
Regardless of the drug rehabilitation program your loved one also has to be willing. This can sometimes take days or even years for the person to finally accept help. This process can be speed up if you hire a drug and alcohol intervention specialist. Most drug rehabs can help find a interventionist that will help aid in getting your loved one to go to treatment.
An inpatient drug rehab is usually the best form of treatment because they can focus on the underlying issues. When a program incorporates replacement drug therapy this can become very dangerous and make the problem even worse. Holistic drug rehab programs usually have the highest success rate so make sure to find these.
Regardless of the drug rehabilitation program your loved one also has to be willing. This can sometimes take days or even years for the person to finally accept help. This process can be speed up if you hire a drug and alcohol intervention specialist. Most drug rehabs can help find a interventionist that will help aid in getting your loved one to go to treatment.
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