PUBLISHED ON 07/12/24
Rescue Breathing 101 Oxygen is important to the survival of someone who is experiencing an overdose. During overdose, an individual can experience slowed or shallow breathing that decreases the amount of oxygen entering the body to a dangerous level. Damage to the brain can begin three minutes after a lack of oxygen. Rescue breathing can increase an overdosed person’s chance of survival and we recommend this in addition to the use of naloxone, which will reverse an opioid overdose. If you believe someone is overdosing, give them naloxone.
What are the signs of an opioid overdose? •
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Ok! What next? While many overdoses are reversed without the help of 911, every overdose is different. Pre-existing health conditions can worsen the effects of overdose and naloxone, and overdoses have become more complex with the changing drug supply. Your state may have protections for people responding or trying to help someone experiencing an overdose through a “Good Samaritan Law’’. Check out state policies at our website nextdistro.org/policies. Naloxone should be given to the overdosed individual. There is nasal spray and injectable (IM) naloxone that come in different doses. Follow instructions on its use and then if the person is not breathing, you will provide rescue breathing.
Use a barrier between mouths to protect both yourself and the person you’re providing People with darker skin tones may rescue breathing to. Barriers can include have pale or ashen lips, gums or a medical mask, cloth, paper towel, or fingertips and people with lighter a CPR face shield. skin tones may have blue or purple The barrier needs lips, gums or fingertips to allow air to move Tensing of fingers, arms, legs, toes through it easily. Lack of responsiveness to irritation Leather and thick such as a sternum rub fabrics are NOT good Eyes rolled back or appearing vacant barriers.