Q: I was watching a TV show which involved a road accident in which the driver at fault was found to be unconscious at the wheel. The first policeman at the scene immediately went back to his car and took a small syringe-like device from a kit, giving the unconscious man an injection right through his pant leg into his thigh.

There was no discussion of why he did that. Can you shed any light on the possible rationale for the policeman’s actions?

A: With the number of untimely deaths being seen due to opioid/fentanyl overdoses, nearly all first-responders now carry several preloaded syringes of Naloxone—which can be administered safely in precisely the manner you’ve described—to counteract the effects of an overdose of any opioid.

They are trained to give the injection to any unconscious subject they encounter, because there are no adverse effects from the Naloxone if an opioid overdose is not the cause of the loss of consciousness, but if an overdose is even a partial factor in the person’s condition, it can be literally life-saving.

Since Naloxone is now available overthe- counter (no prescription needed) in nasal- spray form (usual cost/dose is around $30), emergency medical associations now recommend that most people who can afford it carry two such doses in their vehicle at all times.

The medical reasoning is that, when the opioid levels in a person’s blood are higher, the Naloxone will be initially effective in reviving the individual, but the Naloxone effect ‘wears off’ after 20-30 minutes. With the opioid still present the person can again lose consciousness.

In such situations, only a second dose of Naloxone can help. The literature accompanying every purchase of Naloxone instructs the user to immediately call 911 if they administer a dose, to summon assistance, as the patient could otherwise die without further doses of Naloxone. Keeping this medication close at hand may provide the genuinely rare opportunity to save a life.

I want to thank Janice R. very much for bringing up this timely and important topic. If you have any particular topic you would like to hear more about, please message me at paulmdake@gmail.com.

To learn more about this and many other health topics, visit the American Academy of Family Physicians’ website familydoctor. org, where you can search for your topic of interest.

Dr. Paul Dake, a Newberry native, is a retired family physician. He lives in Pinconning, Michigan.