Local First Responders Say Narcan Works, But Many Are Seeing It Needs More Doses

| August 5, 2018

VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – Naloxone, better known by its brand names Narcan and Evzio, can be a life-saving medication delivered by first responders when an opioid overdose occurs.

The use of it locally seems to fluctuate by area, and some first responders are finding that with certain overdoses, it is taking more than one dose to be effective.

Franklin Police Chief Kevin Anundson said his department doesn’t use it directly but allows the EMS personnel to do it.

“Someone is bringing it,” Anundson said.

Anundson said he doesn’t see a big problem in Franklin with opioid overdoses; he described it as average for a community like his.

Nevertheless, when an overdose occurs in his community, Anundson does see the effectiveness of Naloxone. He said with some overdoses, it takes more than one dose.

“One of the problems is Fentanyl stays in the system longer,” Anundson said. “Sometimes when you use it when people are overdosing on Fentanyl, the Narcan wears off and the Fentanyl is still there, and they may go back into another overdose. There are times when the medics have had to use it four or five times on people.”

Sugarcreek Borough Police Chief Matthew Carlson said that his department has been carrying Naloxone but hasn’t had to use it, yet.

Carlson believes the effectiveness of it is good, and he also believes carrying it is a good thing.

“I think the effectiveness of it is good,” Carlson said. “I also think the effectiveness of us carrying it is good. It is almost like us having it is a security blanket because of the opioid crisis and the epidemic it has become. It enables us to take action if something would occur.”

Carlson also believes that how many doses are needed depends on the individual.

“We carry two doses in each of our cars,” Carlson said. “But, we also know that Community Ambulance is right behind us, and they have the same thing and medics can use a third or fourth dose if needed.”

“We haven’t had to use it that often,” said Bob Neely of Knox Community Ambulance. “It isn’t a big thing here; but, I know I used it when I worked in Jefferson County, and I know it’s a problem in Butler. But over here (in Knox), you don’t see it.”

Neely said that when he has administered it, the drug works.

“It works,” Neely said. “It does reverse the breathing problem, which is one of the things you see (with opioid overdoses).”

Clarion County Sheriff Rex Munsee stated that while his department hasn’t had to use Naloxone, yet, he knows from stories he has heard from first responders and the state police that it has been very effective. Still, the number of doses needed is on a case-by-case basis.

“For a ‘typical’ – and I hate to use that word – overdose, one is sufficient,” Munsee said. “But, these people who are overdosing are taking large amounts, which is making a second (dose) something they have to use.”

Jefferson County Sheriff Carl Gotwald also said he has heard of it taking more than one dose of Naloxone to reverse the overdose.

“Originally, one shot would bring people around,” said Gotwald.

Gotwald said his department has been carrying Naloxone for a while and that every one of his officers is trained to use it; but, none have had to as of yet through the Sheriff’s department.

Gotwald added, “But, some of the stuff coming around now, it is taking at least two doses to bring them around.”

Jill Northey, a Presentation Specialist for the Armstrong-Indiana-Clarion Drug and Alcohol Commission, said they have also been seeing that with some overdoses more than one dose is needed to be effective.

“The number of doses (to be effective) is becoming more because of the potency of the substance they are taking,” Northey said. “With Fentanyl, they are going to need more than the recommended dose.”

Northey also said that her office is starting to see an increase in overdoses in Clarion County, and because of that, they are now offering training classes to anyone in the community.

“It’s completely free and they leave with a kit,” Northey said of the training.

ABOUT NALOXONE

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Naloxone is “a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist—meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing with heroin or prescription opioid pain medications.”


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