Inadvertent Overdose in First Responders

​Part 4 in a Four-Part SeriesThe United States is in the midst of a significant opioid epidemic, and a large proportion of the illegal opioids being sold contain fentanyl or fentanyl analogs. The Drug Enforcement Administration reported that U.S. law enforcement agencies seized at least 239 kilograms of illicitly produced fentanyl from August 2013 to the end of 2015. (http://bit.ly/2obUOLs.) This drug is responsible for many opioid overdoses and deaths because of its extremely low lethal dose.First responders, a population not initially thought to be at risk, have been found to be exposed to synthetic fentanyl analogs. Some first responders have reported symptoms when they came into contact with these illicit fentanyls. Several agencies have published guidelines on how first responders can protect themselves. Recently, the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) and the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology (AACT) published a position statement on this subject. (Clin Toxicol [Phila] 2017:1. doi: 10.1080/15563650.2017; http://bit.ly/2of1FEf.) Overall, they found that the risk of clinically significant exposure to first responders is very low, and recommended that first responders who may be exposed to fentanyl should be trained in recognizing the opioid toxidrome and should have naloxone readily available and know how to administer it.Potential Routes of ExposurePotential routes include inhalation, ingestion, mucous membrane contact, and transdermal a...
Source: The Tox Cave - Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs