LAWRENCE, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — There has been a recent death in Van Buren County of a person testing positive for Xylazine according to health officials.
Xylazine is a sedative used in veterinary clinics that was responsible for a death in the county, which was reported on Thursday, January 19.
Health officials say that Xylazine has never been approved for use by humans, and that it can be swallowed, inhaled, smoked, snorted, or injected into a muscle or vein.
According to the health department, Xylazine causes sedation and anesthesia, respiratory depression, slow heart rate, muscle relaxation, and pain relief. In humans, it also causes significant slowing of the heart rate and low blood pressure. Since it has many of the same effects as opioids, it could be substituted for the opioid or the two together have additive effects.
Officials went onto say that Xylazine is not an opioid, so Narcan cannot be used to reverse an overdose.
In addition, officials state that it takes extensive lab work to detect it, making the determination that Xylazine is being used difficult.
They urge those suspecting Xylazine misuse to notify the state drug lab and the Poison Center at 313-745-5711, and authorities say that using Narcan is still advised, since Xylazine abuse symptoms can mimic opioid ones.
Xylazine should be suspected if someone appears to have symptoms similar to an opioid overdose with:
● small pupils,
● not breathing well,
● unresponsive but no response to naloxone,
● has a very low heart rate (30-40s),
● low blood pressure.
More information is available at www.michigan.gov/mdhhs.
Reporting by: Jim McKinney
