On April 9th, 2025, local health departments across Connecticut will be recognizing the second annual Save a Life Day. This initiative educates people on how they can recognize an opioid overdose emergency and respond to it by administering Naloxone.
Naloxone acts quickly to reverse the effects of someone whose breathing has slowed or stopped due to an opioid overdose. With these overdoses becoming a serious public health crisis, the medication is now carried by first responders and becoming more widely available to individuals and businesses as well.
Here’s how Naloxone can save a life during an opioid overdose, and how you can learn more about using it.
Recognizing an opioid overdose
Acting quickly is crucial to reversing the effects of the overdose. Common signs of someone experiencing an opioid overdose include:
- Slow or shallow breathing, or breathing that has stopped
- Tiny pupils
- Unresponsiveness to voice or touch
- Pale, clammy, or bluish skin
- Loss of consciousness
- Slowed heartbeat
Using Naloxone in an emergency
Although it is available in an injectable form, Naloxone is typically given as a nasal spray. The medication acts as an opioid antagonist, binding to opioid receptors in the brain and quickly blocking their effects. However, it is important to note that this only works for overdoses of opioids (like heroin, fentanyl, or prescription painkillers) and not for overdoses of other substances.
To use Naloxone, simply follow the instructions on the spray. Once administered, you should call 911 immediately, since the effects of the medication can wear off and it is essential to get additional help. If a person does not respond after two to three minutes, a second dose can be administered.
Where to get Naloxone training
Pharmacists who have been approved to dispense Naloxone can educate anyone who receives this medication on its use. A list of these approved pharmacies is available at the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.
Naloxone training can also be available through primary care providers or substance use treatment programs.
Who should have Naloxone available?
Naloxone is available to anyone who wants to be prepared for a potential opioid overdose emergency. This might include friends or family members of opioid users, or businesses and organizations in areas with significant opioid overdose rates.
If a loved one is using opioids, help is available. Visit the Uncas Health Department’s Harm Reduction program and the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services for more information.