Greetings Lighthouse Inc., Church Family,

Please see article on Narcan below.  Author of the article was unknown at the time of posting.

Blessings,

The Lighthouse Inc., Church

“Every teenager and adult should know how to perform CPR, use a defibrillator and administer naloxone,”

If you find someone passed out and unresponsive, he said:
– Call 911.
– If the person is not responding and not breathing normally, start CPR.
– Have someone get an automated external defibrillator, or AED, if one is available.
– If you have reason to think opioids might be involved, get and give naloxone.
– Continue CPR, including using the AED, until help arrives.

The primary reason somebody has a cardiac arrest from an opioid overdose is that they stopped breathing. Naloxone is now an over-the-counter medication that temporarily reverses the effects of opioids. It can restore breathing, and it may make the victim more awake and alert.

Naloxone is sold over-the-counter as an automatic injector or as a nasal spray, and is easy to administer. Both my teenage kids carry naloxone in their school bags, just in case.”

Although it might not be practical for everyone to carry naloxone, it should be widely accessible. People in high places should really push to have it more in public places, because you never know where you’re going to need it.”

It is important to start CPR before seeking out naloxone if the patient is believed to be in cardiac arrest. “Once the heart stops, the naloxone doesn’t help.”

The guidelines note the importance of fast action and educating friends, families and close contacts of people at risk of opioid overdose. That would include people taking opioids legally to control pain. But, it’s important for people to be willing to dial 911 even if illegal drugs are involved.

In emergency rooms, most of the overdose patients treated have been rescued by someone who was trained in naloxone and had it on hand. “Unfortunately, some people who use opioids by themselves, or use opioids where someone’s not there to help, don’t survive to even get to the ER.