Overdose-related calls are up: Waterloo Paramedic Services

The number of overdose related calls hasincreased by 17 per centcompared to2017, but the number of naloxone administered byRegion of Waterloo Paramedic Services has dropped by 67 per cent.

TheWaterloo Region Integrated Drugs Strategy (WRIDS) released the numbers Wednesday in their fifth overdose bulletin.

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BetweenJanuary and March 2018, paramedics responded to 184 opioid overdose-related calls compared tothe 157 calls at the same time last year.

"We know we're on a similar trajectoryas we were last year in terms of overdose related calls," Lindsay Sprague,Coordinator ofWRIDStold CBC News.

In April 2018, that number increased to 242, up 13 calls from 2017, but then saw a drop in May, where only 258 calls were made compared to 284 calls in 2017.

Last year, paramedics responded to 797 overdose related calls.

'More public use of naloxone'

Even though the number of callsincreased this year, paramedics only administered naloxone18times betweenJanuary and March, compared to 55times in 2017.

Rob Crossan, deputy chief for Region of Waterloo Paramedic Services, said paramedics use naloxone as a last resort when responding to an opioidoverdose related call.

Paramedics focus on other forms of support such as respiratoryaid and getting patients into treatmentby getting them to a hospital.

But, he said, the main reason behind the high drop relates to the community having naloxoneat hand.

"We are seeing more public use of naloxoneprior to arrival," Crossan said.

During the months of January and March,1,308naloxonekits were distributed to the public.

EMS saw an increase of six more naloxoneadministrations in April and another five in May, bringing the total to 29 so far this year.

Paramedics administerednaloxone144 times in 2017.

Young demographic

The report adds that54 per cent of opioidoverdose related calls and 52 per cent of naloxone administrationswere for people aged 20 to 34.

"That's really what we've seen since we've started monitoring the opioid issue," Crossansaid.

Individuals who either witness or experience an overdose are alsoasked to complete the Overdose Monitoring, Alert, and Response System (OMARS) survey.

Fentanyl was suspected in 74 per cent of thefatal and non-fatal overdoses reported through OMARSbetween January and March.