Pubdate: Thu, 22 Oct 2015
Source: Oliver Chronicle (CN BC)
Copyright: 2015 Oliver Chronicle
Contact:  http://www.oliverchronicle.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/875
Author: Richard McGuire

RECENT DRUG OVERDOSES PROMPT WARNINGS

A rash of recent drug overdoses at South Okanagan General Hospital in
Oliver prompted Interior Health and the RCMP to issue warnings last
week.

Neither Interior Health nor the RCMP are able to identify the specific
drugs involved until toxicology reports are received, but an Interior
Health official said the patients showed signs consistent with having
taken a depressant.

"It's hard to say whether it's an opiate or benzo or anything like
that, because what they were presenting with was shallow depressed
breathing as well as they weren't fully conscious," said Jeff Walsh,
harm reduction coordinator with Interior Health.

Interior Health confirmed this week that test results indicate the
drug fentanyl was present in some of the overdose cases presented at
South Okanagan General Hospital. While not using drugs at all is the
best way to avoid overdose and other health impacts, Interior Health
advises those who are using drugs to take steps to reduce the risk.

Opiates are drugs derived from opium such as heroin, morphine or
Oxycodone as well as synthetic forms such as fentanyl.

Benzo is the common name for benzodiazepines, which include dozens of
such anti-anxiety drugs as Valium (diazepam) or Ativan
(lorazepam).

Walsh said there were seven overdoses in the two weeks prior to the
warning being issued. None were fatal.

South Okanagan General Hospital serves patients from both Oliver and
Osoyoos and surrounding areas.

The high number of cases tipped off doctors and staff at the hospital
to a serious situation, Walsh said.

"Seven in the last two weeks for them wouldn't be typical," he said,
adding that he is not aware of a similar spike at other hospitals.

"Anytime someone comes in with an overdose, it's preventable," said
Walsh.

Interior Health always recommends that the best way to avoid drug harm
is not to use drugs, said Walsh, adding that they recognize some
people will continue to use them despite warnings.

For those people, he recommends several harm reduction
strategies:

Don't mix different kinds of drugs whether they are street drugs,
prescriptions or alcohol;

Don't do drugs when you are alone. If other people are around, they
can get you to emergency if anything goes wrong;

Take a small sample of any new drug the first time to ensure there are
no adverse reactions, even if you are a regular drug user;

Know what an overdose looks like so that if anyone experiences one,
emergency services should be contacted immediately.

"When we're talking about depressant overdose, we're really looking
for anything from people feeling nausea, shaking or one of the really
big ones is that if people are feeling really tired after taking
drugs, it's really important to make sure that they are still
responsive," said Walsh. "If they're not, get them to emergency
services and don't just put them to bed and think that they're just
tired."

The risk with street drugs is that you never know what you're actually
getting, said Walsh. Often street drugs are mixed with other
substances that can have serious consequences.

For more information about harm reduction and overdose prevention,
visit www.towardtheheart.com .

Anyone with information about the drugs involved is asked to call the
RCMP at 250-495-7236 in Osoyoos or 250-498-3422 in Oliver.
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MAP posted-by: Matt