This post was written by Tom Gutwein, MD, FACEP, president, Professional Emergency Physicians, PC, Emergency Department Medical Director, Parkview Regional Medical Center.
Narcan® is a lifesaving drug, just as important to have readily available as Epinephrine. Why? In the last ten years, we have seen the opioid problem shift from predominantly prescription medications written by physicians and filled at pharmacies with regulated/quality-controlled products to heroin and now to fentanyl.
This has been a significantly unsettling development, given most of the pills that people took were of more consistent quality under more stringent manufacturing regulations. Comparatively, heroin was completely unregulated but did not have the strength that we are seeing now with fentanyl. Today, fentanyl is made primarily overseas, and comes into the United States from other countries. There is zero regulatory compliance with any of these pills that are sold on the street, and without any oversight, the strength of the medication and even the types of substances in the pills are highly variable. That is why “One pill can kill.”
Pills are sold on the street or given away in social environments for many reasons. Many times, these are given to people who don’t use substances regularly and are looking for a one-time event. But if that particular pill contains a much higher concentration of fentanyl than the rest of the batch, or they all contain a high concentration, it can be fatal. There’s no way of knowing until the pill is consumed.
Once ingested, the individual can suffer from severe respiratory depression that quickly leads to death. In our emergency rooms, we see both adult and pediatric fatalities from pills that were not supposed to contain fentanyl. In fact, approximately 80% of the overdose deaths that occur have fentanyl in their system at autopsy.
A rescue medication
This is where Narcan can save lives. If someone suspects a person is experiencing an overdose or experiencing severe respiratory depression (they stop breathing), the nasal spray can reverse the effects of the drug.
Watch this video on how to administer Narcan.
Without Narcan, the individual will likely quickly go from not breathing to cardiac arrest. And then it’s too late. You only have a few minutes to recognize the situation and administer the Narcan. Symptoms of a potential overdose include:
- Blue-colored lips
- Pinpoint pupils
- Unresponsiveness
- Slowed or stopped breathing
Many people keep the rescue medication in their homes if they are at risk of breathing problems from pain medications.
Why it matters
Every time a life is saved, that individual is given a second chance. A chance that many times can lead to recovery from a substance use disorder.
This drug is incredibly safe and is not abused or misused by the general public. This is such a powerful life-saving medication that most police officers carry it with them, schools keep it readily available and Parkview Sports Medicine athletic trainers recently committed to carrying it. Healthcare providers and community leaders recognize that making Narcan available supports our communities members who might be in immediate danger. For this important reason, every community should have a readily available, free confidential access point for Narcan.
Narcan is available over the counter in most pharmacies. Community members can also find a vending machine outside Parkview Hospital Randallia ER and doses in a box near the Parkview DeKalb Hospital Emergency entrance. If you or someone you love is looking for support overcoming a substance use disorder, call 260-481-2700 to schedule an evaluation and discuss a personalized treatment plan with a therapist at Parkview Behavioral Health Institute-Park Center.
