August 31st is International Overdose Awareness Day – the world’s largest campaign focused on ending overdoses, remembering lost loved ones, and supporting the family and friends left behind.1
An overdose is defined as consuming a toxic amount of particular substance, whether it be alcohol, illicit drugs, or prescription medications.1 In the past year alone, an estimated 80,000 Americans lost their lives due to an overdose.2
While people often associate overdoses exclusively with illicit drugs, it’s critical to acknowledge that the nonadherence to prescription medications, like taking more than prescribed or combining various substances without a health care provider’s oversight, can also result in fatal outcomes.3, 4 In the United States alone, 40 people die each day from overdosing on commonly prescribed medications such as opioids, depressants, and/or stimulants.5
- When taken in excess, opioids and depressants can significantly slow the body’s vital activities, such as breathing and heart rate.1 An overdose can result in such extreme depressing of these functions that one’s breathing and heart rate stop completely.1
- In contrast, stimulants can speed up particular bodily functions, such as increasing one’s blood pressure and pulse.1 As a result, an overdose can result in a heart attack, stroke, seizure, or drug induced psychosis.1
- From 1999 to 2024, overdose deaths for
- Psychostimulants (with potential for abuse) increased 64 fold6
- From 1999 to 2024, overdose deaths for
This year’s theme “one big family, driven by hope,” allows us to reimagine the stereotypical conception of family. The overdose crisis not only impacts individuals and loved ones, but our entire nation.7 The impact of losses extend to classrooms, workplaces, shared spaces, entire communities, and beyond.7 On International Overdose Awareness Day, we come together, as a family driven by love, action, and hope.7 Together, we can share our stories, raise awareness, and fight for a future that is free from overdoses.7
Recognizing the Warning Signs
Overdose symptoms can vary depending on the type of drug taken, and whether the drug was taken in combination with additional substances.1 Some common signs to watch out for include the following …1
- Dilated pupils, nausea, vomiting, headache, or chest pain
- Seizures, convulsions, tremors, blue lips or fingers, abnormally high body temperature
- Severe difficulty breathing or complete cessation of breath
- Gurgling sounds indicative of a blocked airway
- Violent or aggressive behavior, paranoia, agitation
- Disorientation or confusion, unresponsiveness, unconsciousness
What to do in the Event of a Suspected Overdose?8
In the event that you, or a loved one, suspect an individual is experiencing an overdose based on the warning signs, do the the following:
- Call 911 or the local emergency line
- Given naloxone if available
- Try to keep the person awake and breathing
- Move person into recovery position
- Stay calm and remain until help arrives
Medication Adherence: Preventing an Overdose
Medication adherence is about more than just following dosing instructions, it’s an essential factor for patients’ safety and well-being.4 Ensuring that medications are taken exactly as intended can help to reduce the risk of an accidental overdose and promote better, long-term health outcomes.1
At AdhereTech, we’re committed to supporting patients in taking their medication exactly as directed, in both dosing and timing. Our smart devices use real-time data monitoring to support safe medication use through gentle visual, auditory, and text-based reminders during dosing windows.
Each device records time-stamped openings, while the proprietary electronic field can detect when medication is removed inappropriately – such as large amounts or inappropriate times outside of the intended dosing window.
Our devices not only improve medication adherence, but help to ensure patient safety. By identifying early warning signs of medication misuse or those at risk for a potential overdose, our system’s delivery of immediate data to trial sites, allows clinicians and researchers to proactively intervene, better supporting patient safety and saving lives.
References
1 U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (n.d.). International Overdose Awareness Day. U.S. Department of Justice. https://www.dea.gov/ioad
2 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, May 14). U.S. overdose deaths decrease almost 27% in 2024 [Press release]. National Center for Health Statistics. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2025/20250514.htm
3 National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2024, August 21). Drug overdose deaths: Facts and figures. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved July 9, 2025, from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates
4 Hugtenburg, J. G., Timmers, L., Elders, P. J., Vervloet, M., & van Dijk, L. (2013). Definitions, variants, and causes of nonadherence with medication: a challenge for tailored interventions. Patient preference and adherence, 7, 675–682. https://doi.org/10.2147/PPA.S29549
5 American Public Health Association. (n.d.). Prescription drug overdose. In Topics & Issues – Substance misuse. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/substance-misuse/prescription-drug-overdose
6 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Overdose prevention. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.hhs.gov/overdose-prevention/
7 International Overdose Awareness Day. (2025). Campaign resources. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.overdoseday.com/campaign-resources/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22535870318&gbraid=0AAAAADdGiHsA1WwrGniBU-xpkviMBe6RW&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-NfDBhDyARIsAD-ILeCNT2y4GitJ_nttUj0IKN6IBtNNd-4NnEsaqYCJLKLe5q9-Vj2VKkAaArJUEALw_wcB
8 Health Canada. (2025, June 10). Opioid overdose. Government of Canada. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/opioids/overdose.html
9 National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2024). Understanding an overdose and how to respond to one. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/lesson-plans/understanding-an-overdose-and-how-to-respond-to-one10 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps. (2023). Good Samaritan drug overdose laws. Retrieved July 15, 2025, from https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/strategies-and-solutions/what-works-for-health/strategies/good-samaritan-drug-overdose-laws