- The drug supply is becoming more toxic due to fentanyl. This increases risk of overdose.
- Adolescent overdose deaths are increasing. It is important all adolescents know how to recognize an overdose and respond using naloxone.
- Naloxone is safe, easy to use, and available over the counter.
What exactly is an opioid overdose?
An overdose refers to when someone “passes out” (loses consciousness) and is not breathing normally. This can happen when someone takes a high or potent dose of opioids. If not treated immediately, an opioid overdose can lead to death. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to recognize and respond to an overdose. These important steps can help save someone’s life.
Deaths due to drug overdoses have increased over the last 20 years. In 2021, over 106,000 people died of drug overdoses, including over 1,100 adolescents.
How do I know if someone is having an overdose?
No one wants to think about responding to an overdose, as this can be very scary. But knowing how to respond to an overdose can save someone’s life.
- Slumped over if sitting down, or laying down on the floor.
- Not responsive to voice, touch, or pain. Pinch someone’s fingernail or put pressure on the sternum (bony area in the middle of the chest) if you’re not sure.
- Barely breathing. Breaths may be very shallow, only happen every ~15-30 seconds, or sound like a gurgling or rattling noise.
- Beginning to turn blue, particularly in the skin around the eyelids, lips, and fingernails.
People who are at increased risk of overdose include people who:
- Have health problems, particularly lung (i.e., asthma) or heart (i.e., congenital heart disease) conditions.
- Use more opioids than their doctor recommended.
- Get opioids from people who are not their doctor.
- Mix opioids with other drugs alcohol or benzodiazepines.
- Change who they are buying drugs from.
- Change the way they use drugs, especially if they go from taking a pill by mouth to injecting.
- Use alone.
- Use again after a period of not using such as while in rehab or the hospital.
What is naloxone?
Naloxone is a safe, easy-to-use medication that can reverse (stop) opioid overdoses. Naloxone comes in a single-use nasal spray applicator. Each is individually wrapped and should not be opened until immediately before using.
What should I do if I think someone is having an overdose?
- Call 911. If someone is slumped over or laying on the ground with shallow or irregular breathing and blue lips/fingernails/eyelids, the most important first step is to call 911. Provide the information you have available about the person you are helping, your location, and how to find you.
- Give Naloxone.
Open the wrapping. Put the nasal applicator side into one side of the nose of the person who is overdosing. Then press the button opposite the nasal applicator. Do not press the button before the applicator is in the person’s nose. Once used, the applicator cannot be reused.
After giving naloxone, give rescue breathing if you feel comfortable with this. If you want to get trained in basic life support, including rescue breaths, you can check out courses offered by the American Red Cross.
If the person does not wake up within 3-5 minutes, give another dose of naloxone.
Continue with rescue breaths and stay with the person until help arrives. Do not leave the person alone. If you do not feel safe and need to leave, place the person on their side.
See the links at the end of this page for videos showing how to use naloxone.
What should I know about naloxone?
Naloxone is incredibly safe. It won’t harm someone if they are not having an opioid overdose. It is therefore important to try it if you think someone might be having an overdose.
Naloxone will only stop an overdose due to opioids. It will not stop an overdose due to benzodiazepines like Ativan or Klonopin, alcohol, xylazine, or other sedatives.
In many states in the US, Good Samaratin Laws protect people who call 911 and/or provide naloxone from getting into legal trouble. Check out this resource to see the laws in your state.
Where can I get naloxone in the United States?
There are no federal laws on what age you have to be to buy naloxone.
Naloxone is now available over the counter, which means anyone can get it from a pharmacy without a prescription; however, it may be expensive – goodrx.com coupons can be helpful to find and use the best price. It is also sold on sites like Amazon. To locate a store that sells naloxone, check out this store finder. You can also ask your primary care doctor to prescribe it for you. It may be less expensive when health insurance pays for some of it. It’s important to know that some insurance companies may put this information in an “explanation of benefits”, which is a form sent to the main person on the insurance (i.e., your caregiver or parent). If you are worried about how your caregiver/parent may react to this information, ask your doctor for advice about that conversation!
Many community organizations also provide naloxone for free. It can be helpful to call your local Department of Public Health to ask.
Naloxone should remain effective for 2 years (24 months), although exposure to extreme temperatures (i.e., below 32°F or above 104°F) may decrease how long it lasts. If your naloxone expires, it is important to replace it. However, it is important to use any available naloxone in the case of an overdose.
If you are located outside of the US, contact your local health department, community health center, or your doctor to ask about how to access naloxone in your country.
- Ugavi wa dawa za kulevya unakuwa wenye sumu zaidi kwa sababu ya fentanyl. Hilo huongeza hatari ya kutumia dawa kupita kiasi. - Idadi ya vifo vya matineja kwa sababu ya kutumia dawa kupita kiasi inaongezeka. Ni muhimu vijana wote kujua jinsi ya kutambua overdose na kujibu kwa kutumia naloxone. - Naloxone ni salama, rahisi kutumia, na inapatikana bila dawa. Ni nini hasa kipimo cha kupita kiasi cha dawa za kulevya? Dawa kupita kiasi hurejezea wakati mtu "anakosa fahamu" (anapoteza fahamu) na hawezi kupumua kwa kawaida. Hii inaweza kutokea wakati mtu anachukua kipimo cha juu au chenye nguvu cha opioids. Ikiwa haitibiwa mara moja, kupita kiasi kwa dawa za kulevya kunaweza kusababisha kifo. Kwa bahati nzuri, kuna mambo unayoweza kufanya ili kutambua na kukabiliana na kupita kiasi. Hatua hizi muhimu zaweza kusaidia kuokoa uhai wa mtu. Idadi ya vifo vinavyosababishwa na matumizi ya dawa za kulevya imeongezeka katika miaka 20 iliyopita. Katika mwaka wa 2021, zaidi ya watu 106,500 walikufa kutokana na matumizi ya dawa za kulevya kupita kiasi, ikiwa ni pamoja na vijana zaidi ya 1100. Ninawezaje kujua ikiwa mtu fulani amepata dawa nyingi kupita kiasi? Hakuna mtu anayetaka kufikiria jinsi ya kukabiliana na kupita kiasi cha dawa, kwa kuwa hilo laweza kuwa lenye kuogopesha sana. Lakini kujua jinsi ya kukabiliana na kutumia dawa nyingi kupita kiasi kunaweza kuokoa uhai wa mtu. - Kuanguka chini ikiwa umeketi, au umelala chini. - Haitilii sauti, kugusa, au maumivu. Piga kucha ya mtu au fanya shinikizo kwenye kiuno cha kifua (eneo la mifupa katikati ya kifua) ikiwa huna uhakika. - Anaweza kupumua kwa shida. Kupumua kwaweza kuwa kwa kina kidogo sana, kutokea kila sekunde 15 hadi 30, au kuonekana kama kelele ya kupiga kelele au kupiga kelele. - Kuanza kuwa na rangi ya bluu, hasa katika ngozi karibu na paji la macho, midomo, na kucha. Watu ambao wana hatari kubwa ya overdose ni pamoja na watu ambao: - Wana matatizo ya afya, hasa mapafu (yaani, pumu) au moyo (yaani, ugonjwa wa moyo wa kuzaliwa). - Tumia opioids nyingi kuliko daktari wako alivyopendekeza. - Kupata opioids kutoka kwa watu ambao si daktari wao. - Kuchanganya opioids na dawa nyingine pombe au benzodiazepines. - Badilisha ambao wananunua dawa za kulevya kutoka. - Badilisha njia wanayotumia dawa za kulevya, hasa ikiwa wanabadili matumizi yao kutoka kwa kutumia dawa za kulevya kwa mdomo hadi kutumia dawa za kulevya kwa sindano. - Tumia peke yako. - Tumia tena baada ya kipindi cha kutotumia kama vile wakati wa ukarabati au hospitali. Naloxone ni nini? Naloxone ni dawa salama, rahisi kutumia ambayo inaweza kugeuza (kuacha) overdoses opioid. Naloxone inapatikana katika kichapishi cha kunyunyizia pua cha matumizi moja. Kila moja imefungwa kando kando na haipaswi kufunguliwa hadi kabla ya matumizi. Nifanye nini ikiwa nadhani mtu fulani amepata dawa nyingi kupita kiasi? - Piga simu ya 911. Ikiwa mtu amepigwa au amelala chini na kupumua kwa kina au usio wa kawaida na midomo ya bluu, kucha za vidole, na viwiko vya macho, hatua ya kwanza muhimu ni kupiga simu ya 911. Tumia habari unayoweza kupata kuhusu mtu unayemsaidia, mahali ulipo, na jinsi ya kukupata. - Mpe Naloxone. Fungua kifuniko hicho. Weka upande wa mti wa pua ndani ya upande mmoja wa pua ya mtu ambaye ni overdose. Kisha bonyeza kifungo kilicho kinyume na kiunganishi cha pua. Usibonyeze kifungo kabla ya applicator kuwa katika pua ya mtu. Mara baada ya kutumika, applicator haiwezi kutumika tena. Baada ya kutoa naloxone, toa kupumua kwa kuokoa ikiwa unahisi vizuri na hii. Ikiwa unataka kupata mafunzo ya msingi ya msaada wa maisha, pamoja na kupumua kwa uokoaji, unaweza kuangalia kozi zinazotolewa na Msalaba Mwekundu wa Amerika. Ikiwa mtu huyo hajaamka ndani ya dakika 3-5, mpe kipimo kingine cha naloxone. Endelea kupumua na kukaa pamoja na mtu huyo hadi msaada utakapofika. Usimwache mtu huyo peke yake. Ikiwa hujisikia salama na unahitaji kuondoka, weka mtu huyo kando yake. Tazama viungo vilivyo kwenye mwisho wa ukurasa huu kwa video zinazoonyesha jinsi ya kutumia naloxone. Ni nini ninapaswa kujua kuhusu naloxone? Naloxone ni salama sana. Haitamsababisha mtu madhara ikiwa hana overdosis ya opioid. Kwa hiyo ni muhimu kujaribu kama unafikiri mtu anaweza kuwa na overdose. Naloxone itasimamisha tu overdosing kutokana na opioids. Dawa hiyo haitazuia matumizi ya kupita kiasi ya dawa za kulevya kama vile Ativan au Klonopin, kileo, xylazine, au dawa nyingine za kutuliza. Sheria ya Good Samaritan inawalinda watu wanaopiga simu 911 na kutoa naloxone kutoka kwa matatizo ya kisheria. Angalia rasilimali hii ili uone sheria katika jimbo lako. Ninaweza kupata wapi naloxone katika Marekani? Hakuna sheria za shirikisho kuhusu umri unaopaswa kuwa nao ili kununua naloxone. Naloxone inapatikana sasa juu ya counter, ambayo ina maana mtu yeyote anaweza kupata kutoka duka la dawa bila dawa; hata hivyo, inaweza kuwa ghali - kuponi za Goodreads.com zinaweza kusaidia kupata na kutumia bei bora. Pia huuzwa kwenye tovuti kama vile Amazon. Ili kupata duka linalouza naloxone, angalia kifuniko hiki cha duka. Unaweza pia kumwomba daktari wako wa huduma ya msingi akuagize dawa hiyo. Inaweza kuwa nafuu zaidi wakati bima ya afya inalipia sehemu yake. Ni muhimu kujua kwamba baadhi ya makampuni ya bima inaweza kuweka taarifa hii katika <unk>maelezo ya faida<unk>, ambayo ni fomu kutumwa kwa mtu kuu juu ya bima (yaani, mtunzaji wako au mzazi). Ikiwa una wasiwasi kuhusu jinsi mtoa huduma wako atakavyotenda, mwambie daktari wako. Mashirika mengi ya jumuiya pia hutoa naloxone bila malipo. Inaweza kuwa na manufaa kupiga simu Idara ya Afya ya Umma ya eneo lako ili kuuliza. Naloxone inapaswa kubaki ufanisi kwa miaka miwili (24 miezi), ingawa kuambukizwa kwa joto kali (yaani chini ya 32 ° F au juu ya 104 ° F) inaweza kupunguza muda unaodumu. Ikiwa naloxone yako imekwisha, ni muhimu kuibadilisha. Hata hivyo, ni muhimu kutumia naloxone yoyote inayopatikana katika kesi ya overdose. Ikiwa unaishi nje ya nchi, wasiliana na idara yako ya afya, kituo cha afya cha jamii, au daktari wako kuuliza jinsi ya kupata naloxone nchini kwako.