Daviess County residents can now play a role in preventing fatal opioid overdoses. Kathy Sullender, the county’s public health nurse, said the health department recently received a supply of free overdose rescue kits from the Indiana State Department of Health.
“Our overdose rates in Daviess County are very low,” said Sullender, adding that Daviess County is one of only a few in the area offering the overdose rescue kits. “And we want to keep it that way.”
The free kits, which can be used by family members, teachers, clergy, law enforcement, emergency rescue and others, contain naloxone hydrochloride, a non-narcotic medication that reverses respiratory failure.
“Naloxone is commonly known as Narcan,” said Sullender, adding members of city and county law enforcement currently carry, and have used, Narcan. “The Narcan, which is a nasal spray, will reverse an opioid overdose.”
Narcan, which has been used by emergency medical personnel for more than 40 years, reverses opioid-related overdoses by replacing the opioids and blocking them from attaching to the brain’s opioid receptors. The medication can be used safely to treat overdoses in pregnant women but Narcan cannot, however, reverse overdoses in people without opioids in their system.
Before the kits are handed out though, Sullender said the health department will provide training on how to properly use the kits, how to identify the signs of an opioid overdose and information on where those coping with an opioid addiction can seek treatment.
“Our goal is to make everyone aware of the signs of an overdose,” said Sullender adding that opioid addiction can affect people from all socioeconomic backgrounds and not all opioid overdoses are a result of an opioid addiction. “We want to get as many of the kits out as we can.”
Sullender said some of signs of an opioid overdose include a decreased level of consciousness, pinpoint pupils, gurgling or choking noises, limp body, clammy skin, slowed or stopped breathing and/or heart rate, blue lips and/or nail beds and unresponsiveness after being shaken or sternal rub.
Community members picking up the Narcan kits will also be made aware of the environmental signs of an opioid overdose. Those signs include needles, spoons (especially bent ones) and cookers, lighters, tourniquets, balloons or baggies, pill bottles and whole or crushed pills.
Those who believe someone has overdosed on opioids should check for symptoms, call 911, administer the Narcan and give CPR if the person has no pulse and you feel comfortable doing so. Should there be no change in the person’s condition, an additional dose of Narcan can be given.
“If the person has overdosed on opioids, hopefully the Narcan will cause them to arouse long enough get them to the ER,” said Sullender, who said the medication is not harmful to those who have not overdosed on opioids.
Since the Daviess County Health Department is registered as a naloxone dispenser with the Indiana Statewide Naloxone Standing Order, individuals receiving the overdose rescue kits are not considered to be practicing medicine without a license. No prescription is needed for individuals to receive the kits.
“We’ve had some older people come in who take prescribed opioids who have asked for the kits in case something would happen,” said Sullender. “We’ve also had families come in and ask for the kits. Not all overdoses are on purpose, but there definitely is an opioid epidemic.”