Narcan nasal spray can help save lives in Elk County
With the amount of drug possession cases proceeding through Elk County Court, and the national crisis with fentanyl overdoses, it is more important than ever that people know how to safely and effectively administer Narcan nasal spray that can save lives.
Opioid overdose is life-threatening and requires immediate emergency attention. Recognizing the signs of opioid overdose is essential to saving lives. Opioid overdose can happen when a patient misunderstands the directions for use, accidentally takes an extra dose, or deliberately misuses a prescription opioid. Through illicit drug use, a person takes opioid medications prescribed for someone else, or if a person mixes opioids with other medications, alcohol, or overthe-counter drugs.
Signs of opioid overdose include: when a person does not wake or respond to touch or voice; breathing is not normal, is very slow, or has stopped; pinpoint sized pupils; and bluish lips and nose.
To ascertain if the person requires aid, shake them and yell out to wake them up.
If there is no response, grind your knuckles into their chest bone for five to 10 seconds and If the person still does not wake up call 911 immediately. Tell the 911 dispatcher, that you think someone has overdosed.
If you report an overdose, you and the overdosed person have significant protections under Pennsylvania law from being charged with drug possession, even if you shared drugs. This law was passed to help save lives and make sure that overdoses can be treated quickly and effectively and save lives.
Narcan nasal spray is the most immediate, fast-acting treatment for overdoses. Most individuals that are prescribed opioidbased medications, such as oxycodone or a fentanyl surrogate are provided Narcan free of charge through their pharmacy.
Narcan is also available from law enforcement and other first responders. Thanks to a partnership between NEXT Harm Reduction and Prevention Point Pittsburgh, mail-based naloxone services are now available for Pennsylvania residents by accessing the NEXT website at nextdistro.org.
If you discover a person with a suspected overdose, take out your Narcan pack, or look around them for the distinctive red, white, and black box that is shown in the above photo.
After administering Narcan, if or when the person wakes up, explain what happened. People can at times be combative after the administration of Narcan. Tell them not to take any more drugs because that could cause another overdose. Naloxone, the medicine in Narcan, wears off in 30 to 90 minutes.
Stay with the person until they go to the hospital, or until the naloxone wears off, to make sure they do not overdose again. If they do not seek medical care, stay with the person for at least three hours and watch for signs of returning overdose.
Call 911 if the person does not seem well when they wake up. When the ambulance arrives, tell them that naloxone has been given. If you need to leave, turn the person on their side (recovery position) to prevent them from choking.
Naloxone is a temporary treatment and its effects do not last long. Therefore, it is critical to obtain medical intervention as soon as possible after administering/ receiving naloxone. The medication can be given by intranasal spray into the nose, intramuscular into the muscle, subcutaneous under the skin, or intravenous injection. The latter ways of administrating Narcan are only for medical professionals.
Knowing how to respond to opioid overdoes can save a life, and as Elk County residents have seen over the past few years this "big-city" problem can affect even rural PA.
With overdoses now being the leading cause of death for adults aged 18-45, this tragedy could affect anyone at any time across all socio-economic divides. Narcan can help save lives with proper administration, and help end the tragic cycle of Substance Use Disorder.