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Opioid intoxication

• Overview

Definition:

Opium and its derivatives (which include morphine, heroin, oxycodone, and the synthetic opioid narcotics) generate an abnormal mental state, generally characterized by excessive sleepiness or unconsciousness (depending on the degree of intoxication), and usually associated with respiratory (breathing) depression and small pupils.

Alternative Names:

Intoxication - opioids

• Review Date: 11/4/2005
• Reviewed By: William D. Whetstone, M.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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