How to Help Someone in the Event of an Overdose

An overdose happens when a person takes too much of a drug, medication or alcohol. This can happen with prescription medicines, illegal drugs or a mix of substances. Opioid overdoses are a major health concern in the United States. Fentanyl is especially dangerous because it is much stronger than many other opioids and is involved in many overdose deaths.

Know the signs of an overdose

Common signs of an overdose include:

• The person will not wake up or respond
  
• They are gasping, snoring or having trouble breathing
• Their breathing is very slow or shallow
• Their lips or fingertips look blue or gray
• Their skin feels cold or clammy

Call 911

If you think someone has overdosed, call 911 right away.
While you wait for help:

• Place the person on their side to help prevent choking
• Stay with them and keep checking their breathing

Remember, many states have Good Samaritan laws that protect those who call 911 in good faith, even if illegal activity is involved. These laws encourage people to seek help without fear of legal repercussions.

Be ready to tell 911:

• Your exact location
• Your phone number
• What drugs, medications or alcohol may have been used, if you know

Naloxone is a medication that can temporarily reverse the effects of opioids, but it only works if opioids are present in the body. Naloxone is available in several forms:

• Intramuscular injection
• Auto-injector
• Intranasal atomizer kit
• Pre-packaged nasal spray (Narcan®)

Designed to block the effects of opioids in the brain, naloxone helps the person stay conscious and breathe normally. It should be administered as soon as possible, ideally within two to three minutes if available. Anyone, including emergency personnel, family members, friends or bystanders, can administer the medication when an individual is in crisis.

Stay with the person until help arrives

If naloxone isn’t available, you can still assist the individual until first responders arrive by:

• Keeping them on their side to prevent choking
• Performing chest compressions if they are not breathing and there is no pulse