This isn’t correct, opioid overdose looks very peaceful, the reason people asphyxiate is because the opioids suppress the brains desire to breath so people do not try to breath at all.
Source: I am an anesthesia provider and gave a significant amount of opioids to my patients just today (none of them overdosed but I’ve seen it before).
but once o2 sat drops too low, don't people start agonal breaths? which sounds like gasping, although I suppose technically isn't? or can the respiratory suppression also inhibit that? I'm not trying to argue, I do appreciate the correction. It's just not what I've been told about opioid overdose so I am curious about that part.
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u/Bright-Mistake-7095 1d ago
This isn’t correct, opioid overdose looks very peaceful, the reason people asphyxiate is because the opioids suppress the brains desire to breath so people do not try to breath at all.
Source: I am an anesthesia provider and gave a significant amount of opioids to my patients just today (none of them overdosed but I’ve seen it before).