What if there’s a drug that could reverse the effects of an opioid overdose? Such a drug might help the United States overcome the nationwide opioid crisis that it currently faces. Narcan is a drug that might help do just that. However, what is Narcan?
What is Narcan?
Narcan is a brand name of the generic drug naloxone. Doctors describe it as an opiate overdose antidote. It can help people who overdose on prescription pain pills or other opiates such as heroin.
When people overdose on opioids, the drug slows down their breathing. It can make them hard to wake and put their lives in danger. Narcan blocks the effects of opioids on the brain and can reverse overdose symptoms.
People who have addiction can’t use Narcan to get high. If they don’t take opioids, Narcan does not affect them. The drug is so effective that many police officers and firefighters carry it with them. They can use it to save the lives of people who overdose on opiates.
How Does Narcan Work?
With an idea of what is Narcan, how does it actually work? It knocks opioids out of the opioid receptors in the brain. After taking this drug, people who overdose on opiates start to breathe normally.
For Narcan to help, it’s important that people who overdose on opiates get it right away. Studies show that brain damage only takes a few minutes to occur once people overdose on opiates. Narcan can prevent this, but only if people receive it quickly.
Are There Any Side Effects to Taking Narcan?
Narcan can’t harm anyone who doesn’t use opiates. For those who do, it simply removes opiates from opioid receptors. It’s basically a super fast detox for opiates.
Once people take this drug, they start to experience immediate withdrawal from opiates. Keep in mind, however, that it doesn’t cause life-threatening symptoms. The effects just make people feel uncomfortable. They could be painful, but not life-threatening.
How Do People Take Narcan?
There are two main ways to take or administer Narcan. One is via an injection into muscle tissue. It can go into the buttocks, arm, or thigh. There’s also a nasal spray version of this drug. People spray it into the nasal cavity via the nostrils.
Get Help for Opiate Addiction
Does Narcan mean that people no longer have to visit a heroin addiction rehab center? No, all Narcan does is help people who overdose on the drug. It doesn’t help them overcome addiction. At Crestview Recovery, we help people overcome the disease using programs such as:
- Extended care addiction treatment
- Intensive outpatient program
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Family therapy
Don’t take on opioid addiction alone. To answer your questions, such as what is Narcan, reach out to us at 866.262.0531 today. We’re ready to help you along the path to a healthier, happier life of recovery.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
