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Mountainside Medical Equipment's Naloxone Kit: What It Is & Who It Can Save

Mountainside Medical Equipment's Naloxone Kit: What It Is & Who It Can Save

It's an epidemic that is rising faster than ever all around the country. The opioid drug overdose epidemic has taken the lives of many, and sadly, still continues to do so. This crisis affects the lives of those around us in incredible ways. For this reason, law enforcement has decided to utilize a very important tool when they encounter drug overdoses: naloxone kits, also known as opioid overdose reversal kit.

In response to the growing surge of people struggling with addiction to opiates, all first responders are encouraged to equip themselves with this life saving drug, called Naloxone. Naloxone, is an opioid antagonist used to reverse the effects of all types of opioid overdoses, including heroin, and other prescription pain pills, such as: morphine, codeine, oxycodone, methadone, and Vicodin.

How does this work? The Naloxone works by blocking receptors in the brain and bringing the individual back to life within just 2 to 5 minutes! Mountainside Medical Equipment is proud to introduce the Naloxone First Responders Kit, which comes preassembled with all of the supplies that emergency responders would need to safely administer Naloxone.

    

Since emergency responders are usually among the first people on the scene, equipping them with Naloxone kits will enable them to provide lifesaving assistance much quicker than if the patient had to wait until getting to a hospital to receive treatment, at which point it might be too late for it to be effective.

We have received much positive feedback on the Naloxone Kits, as Naloxone has also saved the lives of officers who have come into contact with drugs, such as fentanyl, when patting down suspects.  

However; did you know that Naloxone is also lifesaving to a police dog? It's true! Most police departments in America have a K9 unit, as a dog's remarkably sensitive nose makes them an ideal partner for drug detection. What most people don't realize though is that this type of work can present a unique danger to these four-legged heroes.

In the past, K9's that were used to detect narcotics have rarely had issues with ingesting illegal substances. However, with the growing opioid crisis, that all seems to be changing.

The incredible strength of some of these drugs, in particular, synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, present a new danger to police dogs. Reports indicate that more K9s are suffering from opioid overdoses in the line of duty through accidental ingestion during detection. This can happen via absorption through the skin and paws of dogs, as well.

Luckily, law enforcement is recognizing this growing problem and are stocking their K9 units with Narcan Kits, or our K9 Naloxone Kit, to control and reverse overdoses.

As mentioned above, Naloxone is a medication that blocks the effects of opioids. It can be administered via nasal spray in both humans and dogs. It is a non-selective, competitive antagonist to opioids, meaning that it attaches to multiple opioid receptors in the brain, which blocks them from accepting opioids.

Also known as Narcan, this medicine can also be injected intravenously or into a muscle. As stated, the effects begin within 2 to 5 minutes, and last between 30 and 60 minutes. The Naloxone dosages found in Narcan Kits and similar overdose reversal kits, are the most effective way to treat overdoses in the field where traditional veterinary treatment may not be available.

Having worked closely with many law enforcement agencies, we at Mountainside Medical Equipment are extremely aware of the growing need for Naloxone Kits to be available to all officers and their K9s. These are vital tools, and everyone should be knowledgeable in the necessity of them - especially in the case of police dogs facing an unprecedented danger in the line of duty.

We offer a number of custom overdose reversal kits, including one made specifically for K9s. Law enforcement agencies or community groups who are interested, can order our Naloxone kits here or by calling 1-888-687-4334.    

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