1. Rocky Mountain High: New Trends in Drugs of Abuse
Curtis Sandy, MD FACEP FAEMS
EMS Director
Portneuf Medical Center

2. Objectives Identify and discuss new drugs of abuse
Explain treatment options for drug overdoses
Identify challenges in treatment

3. Ice, Ice, Baby “tweeking” Skin picking Sxs Tx Agitation to unconscious
Supportive
Benzo

4. Horse of a different color?
Spice/K2
Synthetic Cannabinoid
Delivery matrix
Plant material
liquid
Unpredictable
May be similar to narcotic
May be similar to meth
Unknown laced compounds

5. Spice/K2 Treatment Supportive Benzos for agitation
Try narcan for respiratory depression/lethargy

6. U-47700 Synthetic Opioid Sxs - respiratory depression and AMS
Marketed as research chemical
Many times more potent than morphine
Sxs - respiratory depression and AMS
Tx – Supportive
Narcan in abundance

7. Elephant Gun Carfentanyl (2002 Nord-Ost Seige) Sxs Tx
10,000 more potent than morphine
Animal tranquilizer
May be added to heroin or other drugs
Sxs
Respiratory depression Tx
Airway management
Narcan in large amounts (20 mg)

8. Counterfeit Pills Rx drug abuse Sxs Tx Any Substance Fentanyl laced
Gray Death
Sxs
Respiratory Depression Tx
Supportive
Narcan

9. Summary New drugs, similar results
More and more resistant to standard therapy
Unknown substance
Treatment continues to be ABCs