Less than two blocks separate the Long Island Jewish Forest Hills Hospital from the Beth Gavriel Community Center, the largest Bukharian synagogue in the country. And both organizations have been tackling the rise of drug-related deaths in the Bukharian Jewish community. Last Sunday, the Alliance of Bukharian Americans (ABA) brought the hospital’s drug abuse experts to Beth Gavriel to tackle the crisis. “Building awareness and educating the masses is not enough,” said ABA Director David Mordukhaev. “When we come together, we can prevent the loss of a loved one.”
Representing Bukharian young medical professionals, the ABA’s Health Committee, led by Boris Semkhaev, organized the gathering. Northwell Health, the company running the hospital in Forest Hills, was represented by Dr. Teresa Murray Amato and Dr. Eugene Vortsman. Dr. Amato serves as Chair of Emergency Medicine at the hospital, while Dr. Vortsman works as an emergency medicine physician at Northwell’s hospitals, alongside his teaching position at Hofstra University’s medical school (Zucker School of Medicine).
Although the neighborhood hospital is popular among local residents, there’s room to strengthen the connection by educating and empowering community leaders. “We’re at a point now where we need to break down barriers and stigmas,” said Dr. Amato. Mother to six children, she experienced the opioid abuse crisis personally when her son called her to report the death of a close friend and classmate. “He was a student at University and came from a nice family. It touched me in a personal way.” Dr. Amato provided a brief history of opiate drugs, from their origin in the sap of opium plants as a source of morphine to today’s synthetic opiates that are 100 times as potent as morphine. She noted that opium-based drug addiction is not a new problem, having been acknowledged by President Theodore Roosevelt over a century ago.
Dr. Vortsman listed the statistics of the crisis. “One in seven Americans – that’s 40 million people over the age of 12 – has signs of addiction. That’s more than heart conditions, diabetes, and cancer. That’s $442 billion in lost economy on account of healthcare costs, criminal justice, and lost productivity.”
Dr. Amato provided examples of symptoms: the pinpoint appearance on the victim’s pupils, trouble staying awake, itchy skin, withdrawal from activities, and mood swings. “These are sudden changes.” As the source of addition comes from prescription drugs, Amato added, “Having multiple doctors, multiple prescriptions, and multiple pharmacies, that’s a red flag.”
When the symptoms are identified, 911 should be called and the arriving emergency technicians are expected to carry the Narcan nasal spray, which quickly reverses the effects of potent opioids such as OxyContin (oxycodone). “NYPD and Hatzalah also carry it,” said Amato. Narcan has been regarded as vital enough in combating prescription drug abuse that pharmacies sell it over the counter. “Our next step is to distribute these kits; they should be in every car’s glove compartment. You can save a life,” said Dr. Amato. After the medication is applied, opiate withdrawal symptoms begin to appear. This is when medical and emotional support make the difference. “Goosebumps, yawning, and stomach cramps appear. It feels like a super-flu,” said Amato.
Dr. Amato noted that one source of painkiller abuse is the removal of wisdom teeth, when some doctors prescribed OxyContin. With heightened awareness of its dangers, doctors are not more likely to advise less potent solutions for mouth pain such as Motrin, Tylenol, and ice packs.
Dr. Vortsman advised the audience not to flush outdated medicine down the drain, as it will negatively harm the ecosystem. With the highly promoted National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, the public is advised to bring their expired drugs to hospitals and pharmacies, where they are “deactivated.”
Another source of the drug abuse crisis is fentanyl, described as 100 times more powerful than morphine. Its popularity and the desperation of its victims include stories of burglars ransacking the homes of recently deceased individuals, where they did not raid the jewelry as much as the medicine cabinet. Dr. Vortsman added that without a medical education, drug dealers do not know how to dose the drug, oblivious to the fate of its users.
The audience included a few local public high school students who brought up vaping as a top concern. Billed as an alternative to smoking, the use of e-cigarettes has risen greatly in recent years. Along with vaping, the same flash drive-size juul pods that feature the taste of flavored tobacco and marijuana have been used for opiates. Semkhaev said that it is best not to start at all, but “If you do it, use your own. Never borrow a friend’s juul pod.”
Dr. Amato said that in combating the stigma, schools and communities should recognize that saving lives comes before saving reputations. She added that social media has not been helpful to the discussion. “YouTube has videos of people after their teeth are removed. They are under medication. It is funny but it isn’t. I have three teenagers in my house. You have to be really open with them.”
Along with educating communities and schools, healthcare providers are also being educated on the dangers of prescription painkillers. “There has been a 30 percent decline in prescriptions for opiates in this country last year,” said Dr. Vortsman. “It’s a slow change.” Dr. Amato noted that even with this decline, the country that counts for seven percent of the world’s population consumes 40 percent of the world’s opiates. “There are now emergency departments that are opiate-free and that prescribe other solutions for pain relief. Also, the State of New York and other states have sued Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, for fraud and deception in marketing the drug. New York announced its legal action last week, while New York City filed its case last January.
“It hit home how many people are not well,” said Zarrina Isanov, LMSW. The Forest Hills resident works as a social worker at a hospital. “It was really eye-opening. They were very transparent about how the medical community was not informed about it. They see that addiction is on the rise. We also need to be big advocates of our own health and wellness. When a doctor prescribes a painkiller, you have the right to say, It’s okay. I can take a Tylenol.” The right dosage of Tylenol or Motrin can manage the pain easily without the worry of forming an addiction.
By Sergey Kadinsky
Forest Hills ToHospital Teams Up With ABA Combat Drug Abuse
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