Noncardiogenic Pulmonary Edema and Heroin Overdoses

Paper Summary:

This paper proposes a study is to determine if heroin users in the Washington DC metropolitan area who overdose and use antihistamines are less likely to develop NCPE than those who overdose and do not use antihistamines. The study uses a predictive correlational design. The independent variable is antihistamine use and the dependant variable is development of NCPE. The study is to take place in two Washington DC metropolitan hospitals and the subjects are heroin users without any pre-existing pulmonary condition other than asthma, admitted to the hospital in the past five years and diagnosed as having a heroin overdose.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Problem/Research Question
Purpose
Hypothesis
Definition of Terms
Limitations
Conceptual Framework
Review of Literature
Design and Setting
Population and Sample
Instrument
Validity and Reliability
Data Collection Procedure
Data Analysis Procedures

From the Paper:

"Following a heroin overdose, a person may develop one, or several different reactions to the drug. Pulmonary edema can occur as the result of increased permeability of the capillaries in the lungs. The lungs swell and fill with fluid, and if this condition is left untreated it can lead to death. Histamine is thought to increase capillary permeability, thus furthering the edema process. If antihistamines lower the histamine level, and decrease the chances of patients who are taking them to develop pulmonary edema after a heroin overdose, then these patients need to be cared for differently than those patients who are not taking antihistamines. Patients who are taking antihistamines at the time of their overdose would not need to have x-rays taken to see if edema has developed, thus avoiding needless exposure to radiation. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Ajzen, I. (2000). Theory of reasoned action. In Encyclopedia of psychology (Vol. 8, pp. 61-63). Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association.
• Burns, N. & Grove, S. K. (2003). Understanding nursing research (3rd ed.). Philadelphia: The Curtis Center.
• Dettmeyer, R., Schmidt, P., Musshoff, F., Dreisvogt, C. & Madea, B. (2000, May 15). Pulmonary edema in fatal heroin overdose: Immunohistological investigations with IgE, collagen IV and laminin - no increase of defects of alveolar-capillary membranes [Electronic version]. Forensic Science International, 110(2), 87-96.
• National Institute of Heath MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia (2004, February 23). Heroin Overdose. Retrieved February 3, 2005, from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002861.htm
• Porth, C. M. (2005). Pathophysiology: Concepts of altered health states (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.

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