The Surgeon General Says More People Should Carry Naloxone, the Opioid Antidote. Here ’s How Where to Get It and How Much It Costs

The U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Jerome Adams, issued a public health advisory on Thursday urging more Americans to carry and learn to use the opioid overdose-reversing drug naloxone. Naloxone, which is often referred to by the brand name Narcan, can be lifesaving for people overdosing on opioids. As the nation’s opioid crisis has increased in recent years, first responders, emergency medical technicians and police officers have used naloxone to help revive people who are suspected of overdosing. Adams said Thursday that community members, family and friends of people using opioids, and individuals using the drugs themselves, can help too. “Knowing how to use naloxone and keeping it within reach can save a life,” he said in the advisory. This morning, I released a Public Health Advisory on Naloxone and Opioid Overdose. Together we can end the opioid epidemic. Learn more about the role for clinicians in my @JAMA_ article https://t.co/1RAMf2Mbhz #GetNaloxone #SaveALife https://t.co/1RAMf2Mbhz — U.S. Surgeon General (@Surgeon_General) April 5, 2018 Here’s what you need to know about naloxone. What is naloxone? Naloxone is a medication that suspends the effects of an opioid overdose until emergency responders arrive. It works by blocking the opiate receptor sites and reverses the effects of an overdose, restoring a normal breathing pattern. The drug can be administered through a nasal spray or as an injection. One form of injection, given as a sho...
Source: TIME: Health - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Naloxone Narcan onetime Opioid opioids Source Type: news