OD threat rises as antidote fails to work first time
Alert: Naloxone isn't working on several recent ODs.
A spike in overdoses in Hamilton County emergency rooms have health officials especially concerned because many of the victims did not respond to the overdose antidote naloxone.
The Hamilton County Heroin Coalition issued a warning Monday after Hamilton County Public Health noted a surge in hospital overdose cases. The emergency department-visit surveillance system detected the increase over the weekend, beginning on Friday, health officials said.
Health and law enforcement officials said during that period several victims did not respond to a usual dose of naloxone, the non-narcotic that can force someone into immediate withdrawal, restoring breathing.
The latest deadly opioid that’s been noted in the supply of drugs in Greater Cincinnati is carfentanil, a large-animal analgesic that is 100 times the strength of the synthetic opiate fentanyl, which, in turn, has been causing overdose deaths throughout the region.
Carfentanil is an analgesic used for elephants and other large animals. The Hamilton County Heroin Coalition reported its appearance in the region in July. The synthetic opioid is reported to be 10,000 times stronger than morphine on the streets.
That’s why people who are using what they believe to be heroin should be with someone if they do it, and others should carry the antidote and be prepared to use more than one dose, health officials said.
Hamilton County Health Commissioner Tim Ingram said the county is alerting those who work with drug users. He also noted that health-care workers and emergency responders should be aware that carfentanil’s effects last a long time in humans. “Several doses of naloxone may be needed to reverse an overdose,” he said.
For the general public, Ingram offered these steps: “If you find an overdose victim, call 911, begin hands-on CPR and if possible, administer as many doses of naloxone as it takes to revive the victim.”
Carfentanil has been blamed for multiple overdoses in Akron and Columbus.
Acting Newark Fire Chief Nick Simmons said there have been no issues with naloxone not working locally as of Tuesday morning.
There’s no way to be sure yet what drug caused the overdoses, but lab work is being done, according to health officials.