PHOENIX — It's the nasal spray that can reverse an opioid overdose in seconds.
Narcan is now available as an over-the-counter medication and in Arizona, free training on how to use it is now available through Terros Health.
Former firefighter and paramedic Dave Schad encourages everyone to have it on hand but warns the medication does expire, and it is temperature sensitive, so don't leave it in your car in the summer sun.
"It should revive someone in hopefully 15 seconds," explained Schad, who is now the emergency manager at Terros Health. "You statistically are going to have to use two doses. What you're going to do is wait two to five minutes to see if it's working. If it's not, you're going to have to give the second dose."
Schad adds, it only works on opioids including fentanyl, pain pills, morphine, and the like.
It does not work on cocaine, methamphetamine, or ecstasy, but, "there is no evidence in the world that shows that Narcan has ever hurt anybody," said Schad.
Signs of opioid use include severely constricted pupils.
Patients treated with opioid reversal drugs often vomit and can become combative, so Schad recommends turning them on their side, into what he calls a recovery position, so if they do vomit, they won't choke.
Free Narcan training through Terros Health is available at TerrosHealth.org.
