6 things to know about the heroin antidote
Jefferson County saw 105 fatal heroin overdoses in 2014. Statewide there were 233 overdose deaths.
Now, Metro Council members are organizing free training sessions to arm residents with the life-saving drug Narcan, a brand of naloxone, to combat the surge.
Here are six things to know about the heroin antidote:
1. It’s easy to administer and relatively safe, even if it turns out the unconscious person didn't overdose from an opioid.
2. It can be sprayed in the nose like an antihistamine or injected in the buttocks, thighs or arms with a syringe and vial or a device with a pre-loaded syringe similar to an Epi-pen.
3. Addicts can’t reliably carry it with them to protect themselves because they may not realize they’re overdosing until they have lost consciousness.
4. Kentucky pharmacists, who complete special training and establish protocols, can now dispense it to addicts and their relatives and friends without a prescription.
5. It’s still essential to call 911 because it only briefly restores breathing.
6. It can be used on someone who used heroin or any opioid, including many medicines prescribed to elderly patients, who might accidentally take too much.
Reporter Beth Warren can be reached at (502) 582-7164 or bwarren@courier-journal.com.