Look Who it Was Random video

Community Health: OD Alert

10 views · Published 16 November 2015 · 1:49 · Indexed 4 November 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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They are not your typical drug-abusers. Many heroin users take it up after getting hooked on pain meds. In Southwest Florida, treatment experts find addicts coming from all walks of life.

“It seems to be hitting everybody. We’re seeing some late teenagers but we’re also seeing a lot of people in their 30s, 40s, 50s even, and we’re seeing both men and women,” says Dr. Jeremy Ingram, who is an ER physician with Lee Memorial Health System. 
The ERs within Lee Memorial Health System treat the majority of overdoses. In 2013 the system’s four emergency rooms reported 34 patients. In 2014 it jumped to 121. Dr. Jeremy Ingram finds the upward trend continuing for this dangerous drug.
“It sedates you. So you’re confused, not able to think clearly and then it also depresses breathing as well. If you overdose, you can actually stop breathing,” says Dr. Ingram. 
One positive: fewer cases result in death. Locally, first responders carry a reversal drug called Naloxone: the same drug used in the ER to stop an overdose and limit its effect.

“It blocks the opiate receptors so that it’s not able to work on the patient. And so they would wake up, they would become more alert and they would start breathing,” says Dr. Ingram. 
The caveat is to seek help fast, regardless of circumstances. It’s critical to call 911 if an overdose is suspected. 
“The quicker the better. They need the medication, that’s really the only way to reverse it and there’s no way to do it at home. The only way to do that is to call 9-1-1,” says Dr. Ingram. 
Experts can only save lives if they can reach a life in jeopardy. 

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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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