阿片類藥物將人類健康處于危險之中
Here's a look at the opioid crisis.
讓我們來看看阿片類藥物危機。
Experts say the United States is in the throes of an opioid epidemic. An estimated 10.3 million Americans aged 12 and older misused opioids in 2018, including 9.9 million prescription pain reliever abusers and 808,000 heroin users.
專家表示,美國正處于阿片類藥物流行的陣痛之中。據(jù)估計,2018年有1030萬12歲及12歲以上的美國人濫用阿片類藥物,包括990萬處方止痛藥濫用者和808000名海洛因濫用者。
Opioids are drugs formulated to replicate the pain-educing properties of opium. Prescription painkillers like morphine, oxycodone and hydrocodone are opioids. Illegal drugs like heroin and illicitly made fentanyl are also opioids. The word "opioid" is derived from the word "opium."
阿片類藥物是用來復制鴉片的止痛特性而配制的藥物。處方止痛藥如嗎啡,羥可酮和氫可酮是阿片類藥物。海洛因和芬太尼等非法藥物也是阿片類藥物。“阿片類”這個詞來源于“鴉片”這個詞。
During 2017, there were more than 70,200 overdose deaths in the United States and 47,600 of those overdose deaths involved opioids.
在2017年,美國有超過70,200例藥物過量死亡,其中47,600例與阿片類藥物有關。
More than 130 people died every day from opioid-related drug overdoses in 2016 and 2017, according to the US Department of Health & Human Services.
根據(jù)美國衛(wèi)生與公眾服務部的數(shù)據(jù),在2016年和2017年,每天有130多人死于過量服用阿片類相關藥物。
Prescription opioid volumes peaked in 2011, with the equivalent of 240 billion milligrams of morphine prescribed, according to the market research firm, IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science.
根據(jù)市場研究公司IQVIA人類數(shù)據(jù)科學研究所的數(shù)據(jù),處方阿片類藥物數(shù)量在2011年達到峰值,相當于開了2400億毫克的嗎啡。
Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee had the highest opioid prescription rates in 2017.
2017年,阿拉巴馬州、阿肯色州、密西西比州和田納西州的阿片類藥物處方率最高。
Common Opioids
常見的阿片類藥物
Opioids such as morphine and codeine are naturally derived from opium poppy plants more commonly grown in Asia, Central America and South America. Heroin is an illegal drug synthesized from morphine.
嗎啡和可待因等阿片類藥物是從罌粟中提取的,罌粟在亞洲、中美洲和南美洲更為常見。海洛因是一種由嗎啡合成的非法毒品。
Hydrocodone and oxycodone are semi-synthetic opioids, manufactured in labs with natural and synthetic ingredients. Between 2007 and 2016, the most widely prescribed opioid was hydrocodone (Vicodin). In 2016, 6.2 billion hydrocodone pills were distributed nationwide.
氫可酮和氧可酮是半合成的阿片類藥物,在實驗室里由天然和合成成分制成。2007年至2016年間,最廣泛使用的阿片類藥物是氫可酮(維柯丁)。2016年,全國共發(fā)放氫可酮片62億片。
The second most prevalent opioid was oxycodone (Percocet). In 2016, 5 billion oxycodone tablets were distributed in the United States, according to IQVIA.
第二常見的阿片類藥物是羥考酮。IQVIA的數(shù)據(jù)顯示,2016年,美國共銷售了50億片羥考酮。
Fentanyl is a fully synthetic opioid, originally developed as a powerful anesthetic for surgery. It is also administered to alleviate severe pain associated with terminal illnesses like cancer. The drug is up to 100 times more powerful than morphine. Just a small dose can be deadly.
芬太尼是一種全合成的阿片類藥物,最初是作為一種強大的手術(shù)麻醉劑開發(fā)的。它還可以緩解與癌癥等晚期疾病相關的嚴重疼痛。這種藥物的效力是嗎啡的100倍。小劑量也可能致命。
Addiction
上癮性
People who become dependent on opioids may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the medication. Dependence is often coupled with tolerance, meaning that users need to take increasingly larger doses for the same effect.
依賴阿片類藥物的人停止用藥后可能會出現(xiàn)戒斷癥狀。依賴性往往伴隨著耐受性,這意味著使用者需要服用越來越大的劑量才能達到同樣的效果。
People who become dependent on pain pills may switch to heroin because it is less expensive than prescription drugs. Individuals who are addicted to prescription opioids are 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin.
依賴止痛藥的人可能會轉(zhuǎn)向海洛因,因為它比處方藥便宜。對處方類阿片類藥物上癮的人對海洛因上癮的可能性是普通人的40倍。
Regulation and Funding
監(jiān)管和資金
The 21st Century Cures Act, passed in 2016, allocated $1 billion over two years in opioid crisis grants to states, providing funding for expanded treatment and prevention programs. In April 2017, Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price announced the distribution of the first round of $485 million in grants to all 50 states and US territories.
2016年通過的《21世紀治療法案》在兩年內(nèi)向各州撥款10億美元,用于阿片類藥物危機撥款,為擴大治療和預防項目提供資金。2017年4月,衛(wèi)生和公共服務部長湯姆·普萊斯宣布向所有50個州和美國領土發(fā)放第一輪4.85億美元撥款。