Opioid Crisis Worsening the Combination of Xylazine and Fentanyl
Xylazine and Fentanyl are two drugs that belong to different classes of medications and have different mechanisms of action. Xylazine is a sedative and muscle relaxant commonly used in veterinary medicine, while Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid used for pain relief.
Xylazine, a non-opioid animal tranquilizer not approved for human use, is increasingly finding its way into the drug supply. Combined with fentanyl, it’s been linked to deadly overdoses in Philadelphia.
Xylazine, a sedative approved for use on large animals, has made its way into the local drug supply in Philadelphia. It goes by the street name “tranq.” Researchers have noticed a spike in overdose deaths involving xylazine in the United States over the past few years. They are concerned that this drug may be underestimated across the country.
Xylazine is a sedative that slows breathing and heart rate, as well as lowers blood pressure. This can intensify the effects of drugs like fentanyl and heroin. Xylazine can cause drowsiness and amnesia, and slow breathing and heart rate to dangerously low levels. It can also increase the risk of open skin ulcers.
The sedative can also exacerbate skin wounds that emerge from drug injections. These wounds are a major concern because they can cause tissue death and amputation if left untreated.
Xylazine causes excessive sleepiness, respiratory depression and slow heart rate in people who overdose on it. It also makes it harder for naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal drug, to work.
Combining these two drugs can have serious consequences and is not recommended. The combination of xylazine and fentanyl can cause profound respiratory depression, leading to respiratory failure and potentially fatal consequences. The sedative effects of xylazine can also potentiate the respiratory depression caused by fentanyl, further increasing the risk of overdose and death.
Health officials are concerned about the increasing presence of xylazine in the United States’ illicit drug supply. It has been found in a number of overdose deaths. In one study, it was associated with 6.7 percent of all overdoses.
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