What Is the Difference Between Opiates and Opioids?

Medically Review & Approved By A Licensed Physician (Medical Doctor)

Opiate and opioid drugs are both used as prescription narcotics to relieve pain and are known for producing a sense of euphoria. This feeling, also referred to as a “high,” leads many people who initially have been prescribed opiates and/or opioids to treat pain to continue taking them improperly. Improper use includes taking these drugs for longer or at a higher dose than was prescribed, as well as taking an opiate or opioid prescribed to someone else. Beyond the prescribed forms of these drugs, illegally produced opiates and opioids, including heroin and fentanyl, respectively, are common sources of both pain relief and euphoria for many people.

While opiate and opioid drugs are commonly referred to by the umbrella term “opioids” due to their common pharmacologic action, there are distinct differences in how they are made. Both classes of drugs have a morphine-like effect in that they depress the central nervous system and slow down electrical signals passed along neurons between the brain and the rest of the body. Shared pharmacological effects include pain relief, drowsiness and sleepiness, and a distinct sense of euphoria.

Additional side effects associated with short-term use include constipation, nausea, headaches, and dizziness, as well as difficulty breathing. Long-term use is associated with increased tolerance, liver damage, infertility, and a decline in the ability of these drugs to effectively treat pain (often referred to as “opioid-induced hyperalgesia”). Both opiates and opioids are known to be highly addictive, manifesting as a dependence that leads to withdrawal symptoms when their use is decreased or eliminated.

What Are Opiates

Opiates are compounds generated from naturally occurring poppy products (i.e., sap and fibers) that contain opium, a highly addictive narcotic used throughout history and across cultures to treat pain and induce sleep. Opiates are refined from these natural products using an array of harsh chemicals, including lime and ammonia.

Opiate Examples

Opium
Codeine
Heroin
Morphine

What Are Opioids

Unlike opiates, opioids are, for the most part, not made from natural products. That is, while small components in some opioids may originate from opium, most opioid compounds are synthetically designed and manufactured.

Opioid Examples

Hydrocodone
Oxycodone
Methadone
Fentanyl

Get Help Now—Please Don’t Wait

The use of prescription opiates and opioids in medical treatment often leads to dependence and addiction because as the narcotic and euphoric aspects of these classes of drugs can be difficult to overcome. Once the reason for their being prescribed opiates or opioids has resolved itself, many people find themselves unable to stop taking these drugs and either seek out additional prescribed forms or turn to illegal variations to maintain their high. Withdrawal symptoms often make matters worse. As the body becomes used to a continuous form of these drugs, a sudden absence can lead to adverse effects, including chills, insomnia, sweating, aches, nausea, nervousness, pain, and irritability.

The risk of overdose becomes more likely the longer a person uses opiates or opioids, in large part due to the tendency to develop a tolerance to these drugs—meaning more is needed each time they are taken to achieve a desired effect. When a person takes more of an opiate or opioid than their body can handle, their central nervous system slows down to a dangerous level, which primarily affects the rate of breathing. A sustained decrease in breathing can quickly lead to unconsciousness and death. The risk of overdose from opiates and opioids also increases when a person takes a drug not prescribed to them or when a person takes a drug along with alcohol or other depressants (e.g., sleep aids, anxiety medication, or muscle relaxants).

The dangers of opioid misuse are substantial and carry great risks for one’s health and well-being. In addition to the risk of overdose, prolonged improper use of opiates and opioids is associated with adverse birth outcomes for pregnant people, as well as with an increased risk of acquiring viruses such as hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus for those who inject opioids with shared needles.

Help is available for those seeking treatment for opioid addiction and dependence. Recovery Care virtual is an online addiction treatment option that pairs patients with physicians and nurses who specialize in helping people overcome opioid addiction without the need for a referral. Recovery Care specializes in opioid substitution therapy (OST) through its online Suboxone treatment program, which helps to prevent withdrawal symptoms by providing Suboxone, an opioid antagonist. In addition to providing Suboxone, OST includes counseling, case management, and additional medical services to help patients on their road to recovery. If you or a loved one is seeking help with opioid addiction, you can get help now through Recovery Care.

References

Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission: Opiates or Opioids—What’s the difference? : State of Oregon. (n.d.). https://www.oregon.gov/adpc/pages/opiate-opioid.aspx