Xylazine appears to worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids in rats

NIH study deepens understanding of possible mechanism through which xylazine impacts overdose risk [] [View as webpage / Share]( [NIH National Institute on Drug Abuse] NEWS [Rear view of woman at the golden hour looking at the setting sun filtering through her raised hand.] Xylazine appears to worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids in rats A new study in rats suggests that xylazine, the active ingredient in a non-opioid veterinary tranquilizer not approved for human use, can worsen the life-threatening effects of opioids. The findings imply that when used in combination with opioid drugs such as fentanyl and heroin, xylazine may damage the ability of the brain to get enough oxygen, which is one of the most dangerous effects of opioid drugs and can lead to death. [The study](, published in Psychopharmacology, was led by researchers at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, part of the National Institutes of Health. [View Press Release]( NIDA accepting applications to Notice of Special Interest "Xylazine: Understanding its Use and the Consequences" In June, NIDA released a Notice of Special Interest (NOSI) on "Xylazine: Understanding its Use and the Consequences." The purpose of this NOSI is to encourage research on the prevalence and consequences of xylazine use and the treatment of xylazine use and overdose alone or in combination with other drugs. [Learn more here](. Stay Connected [facebook]([twitter]([linkedin]([youtube]( --------------------------------------------------------------- View topics of interest, update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, alter frequency of bulletins, or stop subscriptions at any time on your [Subscriber Preferences Page](. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please visit [subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com](. This service is provided to you at no charge by [National Institute on Drug Abuse](. --------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent to {EMAIL} using govDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of National Institutes of Health: National Institute on Drug Abuse · 3WFN MSC 6024 · 16071 Industrial Dr ·Dock 11 · Gaithersburg, MD 20877 [GovDelivery logo](