Naloxone saves lives
Used to reverse opioid overdoses, naloxone is safe, effective, and anyone can carry and use it. Naloxone can be given even if you are unsure that an overdose is happening. California’s Good Samaritan Law protects you from legal liability so you can act without hesitation. The law also protects you from criminal charges if you have drugs in your possession and you call 911 when someone with you has overdosed.
How to recognize an overdose
A person with an opioid overdose, including fentanyl, will show the following:
- Slow or absent breathing
- Confusion, sleepiness, or unresponsiveness
- Small pupils
- Blue lips or blue discoloration of skin
If someone is overdosing, remember to
D.O.S.E.
- Dial 911
- Open naloxone kit
- Spray naloxone
- Evaluate response (be prepared to give additional doses if no response)
How to use naloxone
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Naloxone rapidly reverses an opioid overdose by reversing the effects of opioids in the brain. It removes opioids from their binding sites in the brain, blocking these sites and allowing a person to breathe again.
When responding to an overdose, naloxone must be given:
When patients initially respond to naloxone, they will slowly begin to breathe on their own and wake up. If a person is not breathing on their own or waking up, they need additional doses of Narcan.
After being rescued from an opioid overdose, some patients will develop symptoms including agitation, nausea and vomiting, excessive sweating, runny or bloody nose, fast heartbeat, and high blood pressure. Always make your own safety your top priority.
