Deadly synthetic opioid warning for South Australia
A man had to be resuscitated at the Royal Adelaide Hospital after taking a single street-bought tablet laced with a drug which can cause a fatal overdose even in small amounts.
SA Health says the man nearly died last week after taking an oxycodone pill he bought on the street. He had to be resuscitated in hospital and toxicological tests found large amounts of Protonizatene, a synthetic opioid.
Authorities say Protonizatene might be contained in illicitly-sourced oxycodone tablets and potentially in methamphetamine.
Symptoms of Protonitazene include pinpoint pupils and shallow breathing and severe toxicity can cause respiratory failure, coma and death.
The effect can be reversed with Naloxone which is available free without prescription at most pharmacies, but repeated doses might be required.
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RAY Duty Emergency Physician and Clinical Toxicologist Associate Professor Sam Alfred said health authorities were issuing “a strong warning today of the effects of Protonizatene”.
“These drugs are in South Australia and even a small amount is capable of causing an overdose which could be fatal,” he said.
“There is a major concern that this drug is being mixed with other illicit drugs such as oxycodone, in quantities which have a significant risk of death.”
