If you or a loved one is struggling with opioid addiction, it’s important to know how to prevent an overdose and get treatment. Your overdose education should start with knowing what Narcan is, how it works, and why it’s so important when it comes to saving lives after overdose. Here’s everything you need to know about Narcan in case you ever have to use it to save a life.
What Is Narcan?
Narcan is the brand name for naloxone, a medication that can reverse the deadly effects of opioid overdose. As such, when someone overdoses on any type of opioid — such as heroin, prescription painkillers, fentanyl, or morphine — giving them Narcan immediately may be necessary to prevent death.
Learn the Basics of Narcan
Now that you know the main Narcan uses, you should learn a bit about how it works. To start, it’s an opioid antagonist, which means it binds to the brain’s opioid receptors so no other opioid can bind to them. As a result, the effects of opioids quickly wear off as the Narcan kicks in.
How Is Narcan Administered?
Narcan comes in a couple of forms. One is a nasal spray, where the person administering the medication sprays it into one nostril after someone overdoses on opioids. The other form is a liquid that you inject into the muscle. In general, the nasal spray is the easiest way to administer Narcan, so it’s the most popular option to use.
When Should You Give Someone Narcan?
The entire purpose of Narcan is to reverse an opioid overdose. For this reason, it should only be given when you see signs of an overdose due to an opioid drug. Those signs can include slow breathing, gurgling sounds, pinpoint pupils, loss of consciousness, cold or blue skin, and a limp body. If you notice these signs, it’s important to administer Narcan and call 911 right away for follow-up medical care.
If you’re not familiar with how opioids can be so deadly, read our post about the Dangers of Synthetic Opiates.
How Much Narcan Should You Give Someone?
If you’re using Narcan nasal spray, you should spray it into one nostril in order to reverse an opioid overdose. If you’re injecting Narcan in liquid form, the standard adult dosage ranges from 0.4 mg to 2 mg. Note that each container of Narcan in either form is one dose. So, if it doesn’t work the first time and the person is still unconscious or not breathing, you’ll need another container of Narcan to give another dose. Give the doses two to three minutes apart until emergency medical technicians (EMT) get there.
What to Consider When Taking Other Drugs
When you give Narcan to someone who has overdosed on opioids, you won’t need to give additional medication at that time. However, when EMTs arrive on the scene, they might have medication that can help the patient breathe better or feel more comfortable on the way to the hospital.
If you recently overdosed and were given Narcan, take a look at what to do next: How to Find Help After a Drug Overdose.
Common Questions About Narcan
Your overdose education should include answers to some common questions that are a little more complicated than what is Narcan? So here’s what you need to know before you administer Narcan to someone else or need it yourself due to an overdose.
Does Narcan Need to Be Used for a Long Time?
The only approved Narcan uses are when there’s an opioid overdose. This means it’s only meant to be used when necessary, not long term. There are other medications that can help you quit an opioid addiction in the long run if you decide to begin a drug treatment plan.
Does Narcan Need to Be Taken With Food?
You can take Narcan on either an empty or full stomach. After all, no one starts their day thinking they’ll need to take Narcan when they use drugs, so you don’t need to worry about being prepared to take it in case you overdose.
Do You Need a Prescription for Narcan?
You don’t need a prescription for Narcan. You can get it from a local pharmacy by simply asking for it. In fact, you should keep some on hand if you or any loved ones are struggling with an opioid addiction, as there’s always a chance of overdose when you misuse a drug.
How Fast Does Narcan Work?
Narcan’s effects are nearly instant. Within seconds, it will bind to the opioid receptors to stop the effects of other opioids in the system. As a result, most people respond to Narcan within about two minutes, though some need another dose before they can regain consciousness or breathe normally again.
Can Narcan Reverse an Overdose Caused by Any Drug?
The main Narcan uses involve reversing opioid overdose. It does not work to reverse overdoses caused by other drugs, which means if someone has overdosed on cocaine, alcohol, or meth, Narcan won’t help. However, it also won’t hurt, even if opioids are not present in the system. So if you think someone may have taken opioids in addition to other drugs — resulting in an overdose — Narcan will at least reverse the symptoms caused by excessive amounts of opioids.
How Does Narcan Compare to Naltrexone?
There are other medications on the market that are associated with opioid addiction treatment. However, they don’t have the exact same use as Narcan. Specifically, Narcan is only meant to reverse an overdose, not provide long-term addiction treatment. By contrast, Naltrexone cannot reverse an overdose, but it does have a place in long-term addiction treatment for anyone who misuses opioids. This medication is usually paired with regular therapy to help people overcome their opioid addiction.
What Happens After Narcan?
If you overdose on opioids and have to be treated with Narcan on an emergency basis, you might wonder what’s next for you. In most cases, you’ll get medical treatment to ensure you’re breathing and are not in any immediate danger after the overdose. Then you’ll be encouraged to get addiction treatment help as soon as you’re released from being under a doctor’s care. Treatment often starts with opioid detox to help your body get used to being without drugs. Opioid withdrawal symptoms can be painful — ranging from vomiting and muscle aches to runny nose and sweating — so it’s often best to get detox help from a trusted detox center as you adjust to being sober.
If you’re not sure if you should detox at home or at a center, check out 5 Reasons to Consider a Drug Detox Program.
Now that you have some basic overdose education regarding Narcan uses, it’s time to think about getting treatment. If you’re curious about Narcan because you’re worried someone might need to use it on you someday during an opioid overdose, you should get treatment for drug addiction. While Narcan is typically effective during an overdose, it must be taken right away to work, and there’s no guarantee someone will be right there with Narcan to help you.
It’s best to get treatment today instead of waiting for the day you overdose, and that treatment plan will likely start with detox so your body gets used to being without opioids. While the withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable and downright painful, you have the option of going to a detox center until your symptoms subside. At Summit Detox, we have an opiate detox program that will make sure you’re supervised by medical professionals while you get used to being drug-free again. Contact us today to start our program or learn more about how we can help!
References:
- How to Use Injection Naloxone for Opioid Overdose. https://www.health.ny.gov/publications/0161.pdf
- Preventing an Opioid Overdose. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/patients/preventing-an-opioid-overdose-tip-card-a.pdf
