Pennsylvania’s physician general came to our region Monday to highlight efforts to prevent overdose deaths, the leading cause of accidental death in the state. Last year in Cambria County, 58 people died of drug overdoses and that’s probably a major reason why Dr. Rachel Levine made a special stop at Martella’s Pharmacy in Johnstown. She wanted to show how easy it can be to save a life.
Dr. Levine filled prescriptions for two forms of naloxone, a drug that can reverse an opioid overdose. Pharmacies across the commonwealth have a standing order signed by Dr. Levine that allows them to dispense the drug to families and friends of narcotic users.
The Physician General says residents can obtain the drug without a doctor’s prescription just by mentioning the standing order to a pharmacist. A 20 minute free online presentation at getnaloxone .com can teach you how to administer the drug.
Dr. Levine says administering naloxone to stop a fatal overdose is only the first step. It’s also essential to call 911 and get the patient immediate medical treatment.
“It is possible that the person is going, in fact, likely will need more medical care. For example, depending on what drugs they took, the naloxone could wear off before the drug wears off and they could go back down into their overdose and there are other medical complications that would need to be treated.”
Dr. Levine says at the emergency room, patients are assessed for addiction, and then referred to treatment, a process that’s called a warm handoff.
She says over the past year, state and local police in Pennsylvania have used naloxone to save more than 21,000 lives.
Community health nurses are also visiting pharmacies across the state encouraging them to carry the drug, so that more residents have access.