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The last deadly drug mixed with opioids is causing concern among health officials because naloxone does not reverse the effects of an overdose if a person ingests it
Etzolam belongs to the clbad of benzodiazepines, which affects the central nervous system and is commonly used to treat anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia and convulsions. It looks like other drugs like Valium, Xanax or Ativan.
As early as 2016, practitioners in Alberta have seen cases of death where etiolol was detected, according to Dr. Nick Etches of Alberta Health Services.
In June, AHS issued a public notice informing Albertans who were warning about drugs that they had started seeing cases of drugs mixed with street opioids.
"This is not something we see all the time but certainly more often than it may be a year or two ago," said Etches.
He said that etzolam was of particular concern because it could increase the risk of overdose when mixed with opioids.
"Opioids and benzodiazepines are both depressants of the central nervous system. They both decrease the level of consciousness. They both suppress breathing and combined they are much more likely to lead to overdose, "Etches said.
The mixture appeared for the first time in British Columbia and was present in some drug screens in the urine. He then made his way to Alberta and was observed in case of overdose on supervised consumption sites, for example, which was not completely reversed with naloxone, an antagonist that saves lives.
Etches said that etizolam had always been badociated with another drug and most often with cocaine.
He added that more often than not, people do not know that his medications have been contaminated.
However, the doctor pointed out that naloxone should always be given, regardless of the type of overdose.
A kit of naloxone is visible in this photo of January 2017 archive.
Gavin Young /
Postmedia
"The reason is that when an overdose does not know what drug it has taken and that naloxone can still reverse the opioid component of the overdose, which is often extremely helpful and saves lives even though its level of consciousness remains diminished," did he declare. said, the addition of naloxone does not have any adverse effects
In case of overdose, Etches said that people should first call 911, then perform artificial respiration and inject naloxone. He said that artificial respiration was the most important part of a response to an overdose, even more than naloxone.
"The person can breathe for her. That's how an overdose, whether it's fentanyl, etzolam or any other opioid or benzodiazepine, kills somebody. This keeps them from breathing, so if you can breathe for them, you can keep someone alive until the relief arrives, "he explained.
Each kit of naloxone is delivered with a mask of protection against the transmission of transmissible diseases.
Etches also recommends that users do not mix drugs and test a smaller amount to ensure their potency is not above expectations.
However, he said that the drug problem in Alberta was not so bad.
"An encouraging sign is that we have seen a reduction in the number of fentanyl-related overdose deaths in the first quarter of 2019," said Etches, noting that this applies across the province and to the province. Calgary.
"There are still far too many people dying of this disease and we still have a lot of work to do, but it's one of the first encouraging signs of longstanding."
Twitter: @alanna_smithh
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