answersLogoWhite

0


Best Answer

Yes; heroin belongs to class of drugs called opiates. In fact, its chemical name is diacetyl-morphine. Heroin provides higher pain-relief than morphine, although less than that of intravenously injected fentanyl (which is a stronger opiate, or synthetic opiate to be more specific, but it is usually only used for injection during surgery to induce anesthesia and for post-operative pain while the patient is still hospitalized).

Heroin is a morphine-derivative, and therefore provides the same relief and acts in the exact same area of the brain (acting as a mu-opioid receptor agonist); albeit being more potent than morphine itself since it penetrates the brain more quickly. Heroin's analgesic effects are identical to high-potency opiates, semi-synthetic opiates, & opioids (it is most similar in its duration of action and potency to fentanyl and hydromorphone). Its adverse effects are mainly due to the additives found in heroin due its unregulated sale on the black-market--potentially causing stroke, heart attack, infection, and/or liver-damage when injected. Additionally, the lifestyle of black-market, illicit drug users also may attribute to some of the indirect adverse effects associated with heroin use.

Heroin is still legal for use in pain relief in a few countries. Although due to increased abuse (due to its "rush" effect when injected), heroin was perceived as being of higher abuse potential than other opiates; even though new opiates, especially fentanyl, have higher euphoric and analgesic potency than heroin.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago
This answer is:
User Avatar
More answers
User Avatar

Wiki User

9y ago

It depends on what you mean and where you live. Heroin IS infact in the opiate family along with most of the strong "medically accepted" painkillers. However in countries outside of America they still use heroin (though they call it dia-morphine, because heroin is infact metabolized into morphine, so by the time it hits your brain its nothing more than morphine.

Heroin is actually diacetyl-morphine, or doubly acetylated morphine, the only thing that sets it apart from morphine is the addition of an extra acetyl molecule, which comes from the addition of glacial acetic acid, which gives heroin the smell of vinegar, and helps in penetrate the blood brain barrier quicker.

So in essence it is a painkiller, though not officially recognized in America.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Heroin also known as diacetylmorphine is the main component within diamorphine.

Diamorphine is a strong painkiller used for a variety of reasons.

This answer is:
User Avatar

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

Death by heroin overdose is completely painless; heroin is a very powerful pain killing drug.

This answer is:
User Avatar

Add your answer:

Earn +20 pts
Q: Is heroin death painful
Write your answer...
Submit
Still have questions?
magnify glass
imp