OPIATE (OPI) (2000 ng/ml)
Opiates are
drugs that produce a rush of intense pleasure, followed by a
sense of well-being and a calm, drowsy state. Opiates are
processed from opium, a chemical which is derived from the
naturally occurring chemical morphine, which is found in the
poppy plant. Opiates include the drugs heroin, morphine and
codeine. All of these drugs are highly addictive and cause many
health problems. Long term effects of opiates include collapsed
veins, cellulitis, heart failure and abnormal brain wave
patterns. Opiates are among some of the leading common drugs of
abuse today.
Opiate generally refers to any
drug that is derived from the opium poppy, including the natural
products, morphine and codeine, and the semi-synthetic drugs
such as heroin. Opioid is more general, referring to any drug
that acts on the opioid receptor.
Opioid analgesics comprise a large group of substances which
control pain by depressing the central nervous system. Large
dose of morphine can produce higher tolerance levels,
physiological dependency in users, and may lead to substance
abuse. Morphine is excreted unmetabolized, and is also the major
metabolic product of codeine and heroin. Morphine is detectable
in the urine for several days after an opiate dose.4
