Drug responsible for recent overdoses in Austin-Travis County identified by officials

Xylazine, a drug used in veterinary medicine, is responsible for the increase in opiate overdoses in Austin over the past week, according to the Austin-Travis County Office of the Chief Medical Officer citing local hospitals.

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Xylazine, a drug used in veterinary medicine, is at least partially responsible for the increase in opiate overdoses in Austin over the past week, according to the Austin-Travis County Office of the Chief Medical Officer citing local hospitals.

For animals, the drug can be used as a sedative, pain reliever, muscle relaxer or induce vomiting, according to a Facebook post from the office which also noted human studies on the drug were halted due to side effects including depression, blurred vision and hypotension.

The post noted an "increase in opiate overdose incidents" and comes after two people died Friday in overdoses near Austin’s Sixth Street area. Early Friday morning, officials said they responded to seven overdose situations, with 13 ambulances taking over a dozen people to the hospital.

The Office of the Chief Medical Officer noted for providers that naloxone works to treat these overdoses -- which the public might know better as Narcan, a brand name of the antidote -- but that higher than normal amounts are likely to be needed.

The office also asked providers to document how someone ingested the drugs and any paraphernalia found "to assist other agencies in containing this outbreak and preventing further harm to our community."

Carrying naloxone

Earlier this week, the director of operations at Recovery Unplugged recommended people carry Narcan ahead of large events coming to Austin and as an overall best practice.

Narcan is a brand name for naloxone and is an emergency treatment that reverses the effects of opioid overdoses.

"I recommend everybody get Narcan, there is a standing prescription order at every Walgreens, CVS and H-E-B in Texas to where anybody can go to any of those pharmacies and purchase Narcan themselves," Layne Lomaglio said.