Amber Reasner

Life, Society and Drugs

Research Paper Spring 2018

More Dugs Please

When I think about most current drug issues my thought like most is a drug

abuse issue. For example, Utah’s opioid addiction, California’s marijuana problem or

even the smuggling problems across the nation’s borders. I’m sure everyone is tired of

hearing what area has a problem with what drug or how many deaths there are from

overdoses this year. The problem I feel that is left in the dark is what happens when

hospitals don’t have the drugs they need to save lives?

This topic of “drug shortages” is a new concept that one would think wouldn’t be

a problem? But it is, and quite a big one if that. It’s sad to think that getting hard drugs

like ketamine, dilaudid, and fentanyl are easier to get on the streets rather than in a

hospital. Even better, emergent drugs such as epinephrine, adenosine, atropine, and

amiodarone are on new shortages throughout IMC. This begs me to ask how is this

drug shortage in a steady constant?

First off, the drugs like precedex, morphine, fentanyl, dilaudid, and ketamine are

all pretty strong pain meds. These can commonly be known on the street as drugs to
get high, but more commonly known as sedation medication in hospital settings.

Ketamine for example is used to sedate patients during procedures like chest tubes and

intubations. Procedures would not go as smoothly if patients could not be sedated

during events like these. Precedex is another big one, this drug can be used to sedate

patients that are intubated to keep them calm if deciding to fight the tube or even to

decrease arterial pressures. So other than getting high, these drugs play a key role in

helping people heal.

There should never be a shortage of these drugs. But yet there is; how is this

happening? Throughout the last couple of months there is a correlation between drug

shortages and natural disasters. With the last Hurricane season wiping out some major

drug suppliers overseas, Utah has seen the effects of that.

Hurricane Irma played a huge part in some of these shortages. When Irma hit

IMC lost a lot of their drug resources. This being due to Puerto Rico having the main

supply of our drug supply and medical supplies. Even with this being moths ago, there

is still an after-shock wave of shortages (IMC pharmacist). These shortages don’t only

include lifesaving drugs but some other supplies. For example, the bags that are mixed

with antibiotics in NaCl are in a shortage. This is a problem when trying to deliver IV

antibiotics without the correct way to administer and mix them to be readily delivered.
 So even with the hurricane having been several months ago IMC as well as

many other states are having to face he effects of this natural disaster. When seeing all

these natural disasters happening I never realized how it could play a role in the

medical industry thousands of miles away. So, something happening in China could

affect another country in a massive way. This is a huge eye opener for me!

When it comes to emergent drug shortages this situation is just as bad, if not

more of a critical situation. Some medications for example are adenosine, amiodarone,

epinephrine, and atropine. These drugs are used in emergent code blue situations.

From personal experience I have been in a situation where alternate drugs have been

pushed due to having a shortage of the first choice. Amiodarone, this drug can be used

for any kind of abnormal heart rhythm. As for adenosine this drug can be used to

prevent a possible cardiac arrest in treatment of tachycardia. In reverse, atropine is for

treating bradycardia. All drugs important and critical in preventing cardiac arrest.

Many doctors I work with, mainly my favorite doctor, Dr. Orme, is the best doctor

to experience a code blue in. He is very competent on what drugs to push at what times

and point. When these drugs aren’t available it really is life or death at that point.

Pushing epinephrine is another critical matter done in a code to try and bring the heart

rhythm back. This drug usually is pre-drawn in an amp ready to be pushed, currently on

shortage. Having to individually draw these amps out from a vial takes time and in a

code, time is not on anyone’s side but the angel of death. This is by far the most pushed
drug in a code (Dr. Orme March, 2018) This drug can be pushed every 2 minutes and

needs to be readily available because of this.

When drugs are such a critical part of life sustaining actions, having these

shortages is a very big deal. With the recent issues going on overseas with China, this

is going to have an even greater effect on shortages than currently present. Some of

IMC’s major components to make these drugs come from China. Now the shortages are

slowly becoming more prominent with not having the proper resources.

So, with the China crisis as well as other natural disasters happening all around

the world it has affected us in little ol’ Utah. With this in mind I have grown to understand

that this is a world-wide issue. Where it effects one country it could effect another to

immense measures.

The drug epidemic is current and ever changing. While looking at the drug use

across the nation, this topic brings to light that there is more than just people buying and

selling drugs on the street, or even the drug smuggling issues. Even with Utah’s huge

opioid epidemic going on and steadily increasing, there are other things than the abuser

needing drugs. Sick people in critical care are feeling the drug effect at a different angle.
 The idea of getting drugs on the street in the black market is easier than being

able to supply it in the hospital? There is a serious issue with that there. I can only hope

that this is not an ongoing issue we are currently facing. If this is happening here in Utah

what other places around the world are not getting the proper drugs and medical

equipment they need.

In conclusion, the drug issues don’t always have to be about the abuser looking

to get their next high, the gang looking to take over a new trafficking route, or even the

newest way to bring drugs over the border. The drug issue could be hospitals not able

to stock and supply the proper amount of lifesaving drugs. Even the thought of political

wars and natural disasters also play a critical role in these events.