Introduction
The opioid crisis has been called the worst health epidemic in American history. A recent report found that opioids have contributed to more than 400,000 deaths between 1999 and 2017. To put things into perspective: that's about one death every four minutes. More Americans have died from drug overdoses than during World War II, according to an analysis by researchers at West Virginia University. It is also estimated that drug overdoses are responsible for nearly 60% of all U.S. deaths caused by injury—a category that includes motor vehicle crashes as well as suicides by firearm or hanging/strangulation/suffocation (which often involve prescription drugs).
The Opioid Crisis
The opioid crisis is a serious health problem in the United States. It's been going on for decades, and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, it's getting worse: In 2017 alone, more than 72,000 people died from drug overdoses--a record high that dwarfs even some of our deadliest wars and epidemics (including AIDS). To make matters worse, this epidemic doesn't just affect Americans; it affects people around the world--especially those living in developing countries where opium poppies are grown and processed into heroin before being smuggled into other nations via land routes or sea routes (like by way of cargo ships).
The opioid epidemic has become so bad that President Donald Trump declared it a national public health emergency on October 26th, 2018 after his own commission recommended doing so earlier that year due to their findings stating how much money was being spent treating those who have abused opioids over time without seeing any significant reductions in either usage rates or deaths caused by overdoses due to these drugs' presence within society at large."
CPR in the Opioid Crisis
If you are reading this, it's likely that you have heard of CPR and know what it is. But if not, here are the basics: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving skill that involves performing chest compressions on someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped beating. It can be used in many situations where someone loses consciousness and needs help breathing again; however, one of its most important applications is in cases of opioid overdoses.
CPR can be an invaluable tool for anyone who wants to save lives during an opioid crisis--and yes, even if you aren't a medical professional! In fact, nearly anyone can learn how to give CPR with minimal training; all it takes is practice until it becomes second nature. If everyone would take just 20 minutes out of their day to learn how to perform these simple steps correctly--by practicing on mannequins or dolls at home--then we could greatly reduce deaths caused by overdoses among those struggling with addiction problems due to lack of knowledge about how best respond when faced with emergency situations like these ones where airways become blocked due to drug toxicity or other causes unrelated directly related specifically
How to get trained in CPR
To get started, you'll want to find a program that is convenient for you. You should also look for one that is affordable and taught by a certified instructor. The best way to ensure this is by asking the instructor about their qualifications before signing up for their class.
If possible, try getting some hands-on practice with CPR before taking the course so you know what it feels like when performing chest compressions on another person (and vice versa). Remember: You will not learn CPR perfectly the first time! Don't give up - it might take a few times practicing before getting it right. Once again: It might take several tries before mastering this technique but once mastered and practiced regularly - even just once per year - anyone can save someone's life!
Takeaway:
CPR is a life-saving skill that can be learned by anyone. If you know how to perform CPR, you can save the life of someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped beating. In fact, even if you don't know how to do CPR but are willing and able to learn it, your intervention could save a person's life!
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation--the process of performing chest compressions on someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has stopped beating (cardiac arrest). When someone suffers cardiac arrest due to a drug overdose, their chances of survival decrease significantly if they do not receive immediate medical attention. By learning CPR yourself and helping others in need with this valuable skill set, you may be able to make all the difference between life and death for someone suffering from an opioid overdose.
Conclusion
While the use of naloxone is a key factor in saving lives from opioid overdoses, CPR is also an important part of keeping people alive until they can receive medical treatment. In fact, studies show that as many as 30% of opioid overdose victims who received CPR survived their overdose event.