A case report: Pavlovian conditioning as a risk factor of heroin 'overdose' death
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The authors present a case illustrating a mechanism leading directly to death which is not rare but has received little attention.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>The case was evaluated by autopsy, investigati...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2005-07-01
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| Series: | Harm Reduction Journal |
| Online Access: | http://www.harmreductionjournal.com/content/2/1/11 |
| Summary: | <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The authors present a case illustrating a mechanism leading directly to death which is not rare but has received little attention.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>The case was evaluated by autopsy, investigation of morphine concentration in the blood, and clinical data. The heroin dose causing the 'overdose' death of a young man who had previously been treated a number of times for heroin addiction did not differ from his dose of the previous day taken in the accustomed circumstances. The accustomed dose taken in a strange environment caused fatal complications because the conditioned tolerance failed to operate. The concentration of morphine in the blood did not exceed the level measured during earlier treatment.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results are in line with the data in the literature indicating that morphine concentrations measured in cases of drug-related death do not differ substantially from those measured in cases where the outcome is not fatal. A knowledge of the conditioning mechanism can contribute to prevention of fatal cases of a similar type. The harm reduction approach places great stress on preventive intervention based on data related to drug-related death.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1477-7517 |