What is Narcan?
NARCAN® (naloxone HCl) Nasal Spray was developed to be used at home, on site or in any emergency without the need for any medical training
if you suspect an opioid overdose
. Its a lifesaving medication that we as Biohazard remediation experts
carry on our vehicles for an emergency. When dealing with certain situations such as cleaning up a death scene
from a drug overdose, its important to realize that there may be residual drugs left on the scene. If these drugs are opiates such as fentanyl
its a very dangerous situation and we have to be prepared. We want our people safe and sound, so we carry NARCAN® just in case. Our people are highly trained
and wear the proper PPE during any situation, but If one of our people or the people who called us in to show us the situation did accidently touch a drug like fentanyl, which is so deadly that it takes only enough powder to cover a few numbers on the date of a penny to be fatal, we want to be prepared to help them on the spot and this drug gives us that chance.
When should you use NARCAN?
If you suspect that someone has overdosed in this way, you administer NARCAN® Nasal Spray and get emergency medical assistance right away. It will temporarily reverse the effects of the overdose
, enough to get medical help and get them to the hospital. Just remember its only temporary, once NARCAN® wears off the opiate can still kick back in and cause another overdose situation or death.
How can I get NARCAN?
NARCAN® Nasal Spray is sort of a "prescription" medicine used for the treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose emergency with signs of breathing problems and severe sleepiness or not being able to respond. It says its a prescription but the truth is that
Louisiana has a standing order saying that anyone can purchase it.
We here at
Exit Cleanup
simply went to Walgreens and bought it with no problem.
It roughly costs $130.00
for two lifesaving doses so its worth having just in case. Remember in an overdose situation it is to be given right away and does not take the place of emergency medical care. Get emergency medical help right away after giving the first dose of NARCAN® Nasal Spray, even if the person wakes up. Remember the original opiate can still kill you after NARCAN® wears off.
The medicine in NARCAN® Nasal Spray has no effect in people who are not taking opioid medicines. You can always carry NARCAN® Nasal Spray with you in case of an opioid overdose if you are a first responder or in our case a second responder. It is also safe and effective in children for known or suspected opioid overdose. So its clearly a miracle drug.
It's a life saving drug
that anyone can buy to have in your tool kit or on your vehicles, and it works like this
Administering NARCAN® NASAL SPRAY
:
PEEL
-Peel back the package to remove the device. Hold the device with your thumb on the bottom of the red plunger and 2 fingers on the nozzle.
PLACE
- Place and hold the tip of the nozzle in either nostril until your fingers touch the bottom of the patient's nose.
PRESS
- Press the red plunger firmly to release the dose into the patient's nose.
This blog is meant to be for educational purposes only, If you plan to get NARCAN, get training and visit their site (https://www.narcan.com) and do not take our blog post as proper instructions, we are not
responsible
for teaching the use of this drug. (*Administer in accordance with their Instructions for Use. Please refer to their Instructions for Use.)
We cant say this part enough because what most people may not realize is that NARCAN®, is Not a substitute for emergency medical care. The lifesaving effects wear off
so its only a way to by time to get them to the Emergency room ASAP! When administering NARCAN® Nasal Spray, always be sure to call 911
right away, even if the person wakes up. Keep the patient under surveillance or close watch. If breathing does not return to normal or if breathing difficulty resumes, after 2-3 minutes, give an additional dose of NARCAN® Nasal Spray using a new device in the alternate nostril. Repeat doses may be necessary and get them to the ER.
Their site does have some warnings so read on but visit their site. We are simply explaining the drug as we see it so do not take our word for it and please check into this further if you plan to buy or use this. Check with the experts.
Who should not use NARCAN® Nasal Spray?
Do not use NARCAN® Nasal Spray if you are allergic to naloxone hydrochloride or any of the ingredients in NARCAN® Nasal Spray.
What is the most important information I should know about NARCAN® Nasal Spray?
NARCAN® Nasal Spray is used to temporarily reverse the effects of opioid medicines.
Use NARCAN® Nasal Spray right away if you think signs or symptoms of an opioid overdose are present, even if you are not sure, because an opioid overdose can cause severe injury or death.
Signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose:
These may include:
1.
Unusual sleepiness and you are not able to awaken the person with a loud voice or by rubbing firmly on the middle of their chest (sternum)
2.
Breathing problems including slow or shallow breathing in someone difficult to awaken or who looks like they are not breathing
3.
The black circle in the center of the colored part of the eye (pupil) is very small, sometimes called "pinpoint pupils," in someone difficult to awaken
Get emergency medical help right away
after giving the first dose of NARCAN® Nasal Spray. Rescue breathing or CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) may be given while waiting for emergency medical help. At Exit
we train in first aid and CPR so we generally always have at least one person trained for this on site. Its important to train in the use of this drug and other life saving training for emergency situations.
Remember, The signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose can return after NARCAN® Nasal Spray is given. If this happens, give another dose after 2 to 3 minutes using a new NARCAN® Nasal Spray device and watch the person closely until emergency help is received.
This is a life saving drug but like anything is may have some side effects so here is what the maker of NARCAN® says:
What are the possible side effects of NARCAN® Nasal Spray?
NARCAN® Nasal Spray may cause serious side effects, including:
Sudden opioid withdrawal symptoms which can be severe. In someone who has been using opioids regularly, opioid withdrawal symptoms can happen suddenly after receiving NARCAN® Nasal Spray and may include:
body aches
diarrhea
increased heart rate
fever
runny nose
sneezing
goose bumps
sweating
yawning
nausea or vomiting
nervousness
restlessness or irritability
shivering or trembling
stomach cramping
weakness
increased blood pressure
Some patients may show aggressive behavior
upon abrupt reversal of an opioid overdose. This is generally for the people who take opiates often (addicts) and not someone who accidentally overdosed by touching the drug but always be aware. You may have interrupted an addicts "high" in their mind which can cause them to be very angry with you because they just spent their last few bucks to get high. They don't care or realize you may have just saved their life.
I have heard this from the cops
when it comes to addicts. They say they come to an overdose victim, sometimes the same one several times a week or even in the same day and they save them using NARCAN® and then the fighting starts
. An addict may get very aggressive and often they refuse to go to the hospital to get help so the officer is forced to let them be, which generally leads to another call within an hour because the same person has overdosed again once the NARCAN® has worn off.
That was something I didn't realize
until the police mentioned it, so that is why you will read about the drug wearing off several times in this post. The cops have even mentioned to me that they like the
injection version of NARCAN®
so they can give the addict just enough to keep them alive until help comes but nor enough to pull them completely awake and fighting angry. Its so they can get them to the hospital and save them before they can refuse the help. Its a sad state when you have to think this way so we at
Exit
feel for the first responders and always support them in their often thankless jobs.
We thank them all!
The maker of NARCAN also includes this about babies and if needed we would try to help of course but in our line of work cleaning up Deaths
, suicides
and biohazards
, I hope we never come across this situation but since we are discussing this amazing life saving drug its more information to know.
They mention: in infants under 4 weeks old who have been receiving opioids regularly, sudden opioid withdrawal may be life-threatening if not treated the right way. Signs and symptoms include: seizures, crying more than usual, and increased reflexes.
These are not all of the possible side effects of NARCAN® Nasal Spray. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
Exit cleanup is a biohazard and crime scene cleaning company
here in the great state of Louisiana serving Covington, the entire Northshore area, all of New Orleans, and all around Baton Rouge. We are not experts in this drug but we have read all the information from the manufacturer on their site. We have trained in the use of NARCAN® for our purposes and we are confident in its use. However this post is for general information and not instructions or guidance. go to the site https://www.narcan.com
for all of your information on this subject.
Call Exit Cleanup is you have a situation involving death, suicide or an overdose death and you need biohazard remediation.