An overdose comes on fast and with devastating effect, making a quick, effective reaction crucial to saving a life.
On Aug. 31, International Overdose Awareness Day, Interior Health public health nurses Kerrie Hollatz and Erin Taylor were in Salmon Arm at the Ross Street Plaza to provide the community with knowledge and tools that could help prevent another death in the opioid crisis.
The rising use of fentanyl and other opioids in B.C. and across Canada have made education on the effects of these drugs and the proper response to an overdose especially important. B.C. Ambulance responded to over 6,000 overdose calls in the first six months of 2018 alone and more than 700 deaths were attributed to overdose cases. The number of yearly overdose-related deaths in B.C. has actually begun to outpace traffic fatalities.
While fentanyl is one of the most common and widely publicized causes of overdose, it is important to note that many prescription painkillers such as morphine and oxycodone can also lead to an overdose if used incorrectly.
Research has shown that as much as 50 per cent of opioid overdose cases are caused by prescription drugs, though the vast majority of overdose deaths in 2018 have been fentanyl related. Knowing how to spot and prevent an overdose is not just relevant for addicts and recreational users, but also for anyone who is taking or knows someone who is taking prescribed opioids.
Related: B.C. health officials to host online naloxone training
Naloxone, the commonly used treatment for an opioid overdose, is a widely available and highly effective life-saving tool — but it only works if communities are educated in spotting an overdose and using naloxone correctly.
Naloxone blocks the reception of opioids in the body, preventing the worst effects of an overdose and allowing a person’s system to flush out the substance and stabilize.
Signs of an overdose include unconsciousness or unresponsiveness with the appearance of sleeping; slow, shallow breathing sometimes combined with choking; cold, clammy skin; dizziness or confusion; a change in colour including lips, skin and nails turning blue or grey; and very small, constricted pupils.
If these symptoms are spotted the affected person should first be poked, shaken or otherwise stimulated to see if they are awake and responsive. If unresponsive then immediately call 911 before beginning assisted breathing, similar to CPR where the neck is tilted slightly and air is breathed into their lungs every five seconds. If they are still not breathing on their own, then a naloxone injection should be administered.
As Hollatz demonstrated during the awareness event, using a naloxone kit is quite simple as far as life-saving techniques go. It is a muscular injection and can be inserted into the shoulder or thigh – no need to find a vein. After the injection, continue to provide assisted breathing and, if they remain unresponsive for more than three minutes, administer a second injection.
It is important to call 911 as soon as possible if an overdose is suspected. The faster paramedics can arrive, the more likely an overdose and any complications caused by it can be remedied.
In an effort to further the conversation around overdose awareness, harm reduction and how the community can help limit the effects of the opioid crisis, Interior Health will also be hosting a community conversation on harm reduction Wednesday, Sept. 19 at the Salmon Arm School District Office at 341 Shuswap Street. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., includes a free dinner, and will feature speakers from Interior Health, local and First Nations health authorities.
Related: Naloxone prevented 26% of possible overdose deathes in B.C.: study
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