Possible opioid overdose: why call 911 even if you have naloxone?
If you suspect an opioid overdose, call 911 immediately in Quebec or Ontario. Give naloxone if you have it, following the kit and dispatcher instructions, and stay until help arrives. Naloxone can temporarily reverse an opioid overdose; it does not replace emergency care. Health Canada: responding to an overdose
What might you notice?
A person may be hard to wake. Their breathing may be slow, weak or absent. You might hear gurgling, choking or unusual snoring sounds; their lips or nails may look blue, purple or grey. These are possible signs, not a way to diagnose the substance involved. You do not need to establish what the person took before calling for help. Health Canada: signs and symptoms
What comes first: the call or the kit?
Call 911 right away. If naloxone is available, give it while help is on the way, following the directions in that kit and from the emergency dispatcher. Stay with the person until help arrives, if it is safe to do so. Do not wait to find a kit before making the call. Health Canada says to give naloxone even if you are uncertain an opioid is involved; the dispatcher can guide your next steps. Health Canada: overdose response
A quick distinction
At a glance Action What it helps with What it cannot replace Call 911 Brings emergency help and dispatcher guidance Staying with the person while help arrives Give available naloxone as directed May temporarily reverse an opioid overdose The 911 call or medical assessment
Why isn't a response to naloxone the end of the emergency?
Naloxone's effect can wear off before the opioid's effect has ended. Breathing can become dangerous again. Even if the person seems better, emergency help is still needed. The kit's instructions and the dispatcher, not this article, are the guides for using a particular device. Health Canada: naloxone only works temporarily
Preparing before an emergency
Health Canada says take-home naloxone kits are available at most pharmacies and points readers to provincial resources; specific local supply and eligibility should be checked with a pharmacy or provincial service. Learning general first aid later is not a substitute for a naloxone kit or emergency response. For general hands-on first aid and CPR training in Montreal, see ActionBafoly's Basic/Emergency First Aid and CPR Level C. This is not a promise of naloxone training. Health Canada: naloxone