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This information sheet has been given to you (or to your family or friends) by Paramedics because you have been treated with a medication called Narcan (naloxone). Narcan is used to treat the effects of heroin and other related medications. This sheet contains important information on how to look after yourself and what to do if your condition changes.

Key messages

• If someone has used heroin and cannot be woken up, or is not breathing normally, or turns blue, call 000 and ask for an ambulance.
• The ambulance will not call the police unless there is danger to the Paramedics or other people at the scene.
• If you have been treated with Narcan, avoid alcohol, sleeping tablets and other sedatives including heroin for at least 6 hours.

What is heroin?

Heroin is a drug from the opiate family. Heroin may be contaminated by other substances. These substances can be harmful and it is often not possible to tell how pure the heroin is and what other substances may be present.

Heroin acts on the central nervous system of the body and causes breathing to slow down and the user to become drowsy (‘go on the nod’) or unconscious. Some people use other sedating substances (such as ‘benzos’ or alcohol) together with heroin, which can make drowsiness worse. A heroin overdose can be fatal.

What causes an overdose?

A heroin overdose occurs when someone uses enough heroin to make them unconscious and slow down or stop their breathing. The person can then suffocate, choke on their own vomit and become extremely unwell. If left untreated, the person can die. This can happen when someone uses more heroin than usual, or when the drug is more pure than the person is used to.

What are the signs and symptoms?

Common signs of overdose are:

• appearing to be deeply asleep, but can’t be woken up (unconscious)
• foaming at the lips or vomiting
• blue or grey colour around the lips and face
• slow, irregular or unusual breathing or breathing sounds, or no breathing at all
• pinpoint (very small) pupils.

Treatment

The Paramedic treatment of heroin overdose is to use a medication called Narcan (naloxone) which temporarily blocks the effect of the heroin. Depending on the exact circumstances, Paramedics may recommend the person be transported to hospital so that a doctor can perform further checks and treatment if necessary.

It is strongly recommended that the advice from Paramedics is followed.

Further care

Narcan is a safe drug and whilst it may have some side effects, they are rarely serious. After someone has been treated with Narcan they may experience:

• nausea
• diarrhoea
• abdominal cramps
• confusion
• feeling tired
• sweatiness
• goose bumps
• trembling or shivering.

If these symptoms persist, seek medical care from your general practitioner, an urgent care centre, or DirectLine.

After being treated with Narcan it is important to make sure that the person doesn’t use any kind of sedating drug for several hours, including alcohol, ‘benzos’, sleeping tablets or other medicines that result in drowsiness. It is also very important not to use heroin again for at least 6 hours, as the person might overdose very easily. If the person does use heroin again, make sure they do not use alone and if possible has access to naloxone.

Prevention

Overcoming an addiction to heroin can be very challenging, but support and treatment is available. See below for some phone numbers of organisations that can help.

If you do use heroin, try to only use it when there are other people around who aren’t using too (so that there is someone to keep an eye on you). If you’re worried that you or anyone else has overdosed, call 000 and ask for an ambulance straight away. The ambulance will not call the police unless there is danger to the Paramedics or anybody else at the scene.

Seeking help

Call an ambulance on 000 if after being treated with Narcan the patient falls asleep again and:

• cannot be woken up
• has slow or irregular breathing or no breathing at all
• turns blue.

In an emergency, call 000 and ask for Ambulance.

Your local doctor can refer you to drug treatment services.

Drug Info (1300 85 85 84) can provide you with information on drugs.

Turning Point Direct Line (1800 888 236) provides 24 hour confidential drug and alcohol telephone counselling, information and referral.

Family Drug Help (1300 660 068) can help with information and support for people concerned about a relative or friend using drugs.

Victorian Virtual Emergency Department (VVED) is also available to treat non-life-threatening emergencies. You will be connected to emergency doctors and nurses who will provide medical advice. Please note you will need a device (mobile phone, tablet, computer) with a camera to use this service.

Contact VVED through the website vved.org.au. If you experience issues, please call 9485 9070

Want to know more?

• Ask your local doctor or health care professional.
• Visit the Better Health Channel www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au

Ambulance Victoria is a critical link in Victoria's healthcare system. We welcome your comments as they assist us to improve our services. If you wish to provide feedback, please contact Patient Experience and Consumer Participation Department either via patientexperience@ambulance.vic.gov.au or telephone 1800 875 137.