Most of us know about, or worse, have been affected by, the opioid epidemic. While prescription drugs do wonderful things to help people and their quality of life, there is a more difficult side that is a matter we have no intention of skirting.
Hopefully, you never happen upon someone who is in the middle of a drug overdose; but read on and if you do, you will potentially be able to save a life.
Naloxone, or Narcan, is a life-saving medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It can be injected intramuscularly or delivered by intranasal spray, and what’s more valuable is that it can be administered by medical professionals
and
family, friends, or bystanders in an emergency where someone is experiencing an overdose.
Some signs of overdoes are:Unable to be awakened
Unable to speak
Breathing or heartbeat slows or stops
Pale face
Limp body
In Arkansas, there is a standing prescription from the Secretary of Health, Dr. Nate Smith, that allows Arkansans to request Narcan without a direct prescription from a doctor. A CDC* study found that there is only one naxolone prescription for every 69 high-dose opioid prescriptions in the United States. Naloxone has no potential for abuse, making it safe to have with you at all times.
For more information, talk to your pharmacist about getting a Narcan dose for yourself and your family. Your pharmacist can walk you through how to administer the dose, and you can keep it in your purse, workplace, or at home. We at The Pharmacy at Wellington dispense the nasal spray dose that is very easy to use. We never know when this valuable prescription could save the life of someone we know. In this case, we stand by the old adage – the best offense is a good defense.
For more information about Narcan and how the state is involved, download the Narcansas app from the
Apple App Store
or
Google Play, or visit
www.narcansas.com.
* Center for Disease Control