With the number of overdoses and deaths linked to fentanyl in North Texas increasing, health professionals encourage parents, educators and even teens to learn how to properly administer naloxone or Narcan.
“You never know if you'll be at the right time in place to save someone's life,” Dr. Teresa Wagner, interim director for SaferCare Texas.
The push for more training also comes as the FDA considers making Narcan an over-the-counter drug as well as Governor Greg Abbott’s launch of the “One Pill Kills” campaign.
“We know that if it is made available over the counter, that everyone will need to know how to use it,” Wagner said. “A lot of the overdoses are accidental.”
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Tuesday’s event was made possible through the support of the UT Health Science Center in San Antonio. The San Antonio-based program is state-funded and distributes naloxone to organizations and individuals in Texas that apply online.
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“There is actually a shortage of Narcan across the state and across the country. So, we were able to secure a small amount for today's event,” Wagner said.
Through proper training, SaferCare Texas aims to eliminate preventable harm due to fentanyl overdose.
“With the influx of fentanyl and other opioids coming across the border and the more readily available amount of fentanyl that's available just in our society today, we're seeing more use of Narcan or naloxone,” Wagner said.
According to Dr. John Mills, Chief Medical Officer for UNT’s Health Science Center’s Correctional Medicine Program, the first step is to assess the patient’s symptoms and surroundings.
The main symptoms of a fentanyl overdose include dizziness, confusion, body weakness, sleepiness, hypoventilation and fingernails and lips might start to turn blue.
“Once you make the assumption that they've had an opioid overdose, you try to lay them on the ground, gently tip their head back,” Mills said. "Just like any other nasal spray, you know, compress the plunger and then reassess the patient. If it's opioid overdose, they should start waking right up.”
The next step is to roll the patient on their left side in case they vomit, call 911 and continue to observe the person.
“Sometimes it requires more than one dose. Usually, the boxes of Narcan have two doses in them, so you can repeat the dose in 2 to 3 minutes,” Mills said.
According to Mills, even if it turns out the person has not suffered from an opioid overdose, Narcan will not hurt them.
Individuals can fill out a form here to place an order for Narcan Nasal Spray here. Two doses of Narcan Nasal Spray will be delivered to the person’s home.
Organizations can click here to request Narcan.
