Xylazine, medetomidine and detomidine
xylazine-medetomidine-and-detomidine- Xylazine
- Medetomidine
- Detomidine
Scientific Names: Alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonists
Generic Names: Non-opioid veterinary tranquilisers.
Desired Effects:
As they are nearly always found as unwanted adulterants, they are very rarely sought out for their desired effects. However, it is thought they may intensify the effects of other drugs and the heavy sedation caused, may prolong the ‘gouch’ like effects from poor quality heroin and reduce the need to re-dose.Side Effects:
Some of the side effects include:- heavy sedation
- sudden collapse
- unconsciousness (will not wake when shaken)
- drowsiness
- confusion
- memory loss and blackouts
- headaches
- vomiting
- reduced coordination
- reduced heart rate
- reduced response
- slurred speech
- blurred vision
- high blood sugar
- As they are nearly always taken as unwanted adulterants you should always test any new supply of drugs. Test strips for both xylazine and medetomidine are available to purchase online or can be supplied free by your local drug treatment service.
- Xylazine and medetomidine can cause prolonged sedation: If a friend can’t be woken, put them into the recovery position and call for an ambulance; if they have trouble or have stopped breathing (they are very pale, lips turned blue), make sure the airway is clear and perform rescue breathing if you know how.
- Naloxone is an antidote for an opioid overdose. It does not work on xylazine or medetomidine but should still be used as the person may have also taken an opioid drug like heroin, methadone or oxycodone.
Long term risks:
- There is limited information on long-term human use.
- Wounds and tissue necrosis (skin death) has been associated with xylazine (mainly when injected), although tissue necrosis has not so far been associated with medetomidine.
Short term risks:
- Medetomidine and xylazine toxicity involves, profound sedation, dangerously low heart rate (bradycardia), low blood pressure (hypotension), and prolonged central nervous system depression. Medetomidine toxicity is often more severe and prolonged than xylazine toxicity due to its higher potency.
- The combination of an opioid and xylazine and/or medetomidine can dangerously lower breathing, heart rate and blood pressure.
- Heroin and other street opioids are commonly used along with depressants such as diazepam and gabapentin. If medetomidine and/or xylazine are present as adulterants there is a significant increase in the risk of a life-threatening overdose.
- While xylazine and medetomidine alone do not cause the severe respiratory depression associated with opioid intoxication, the profound mental status depression may cause airway compromise leading to suffocation.
- At high doses, or with other depressants, xylazine and medetomidine cause amnesia, loss of physical sensation, prolonged heavy sedation and/or loss of consciousness leaving you vulnerable and at risk of accidents, robbery or sexual assault.
- Xylazine, medetomidine and detomidine are non-opioid tranquilisers used in veterinary medicine as sedatives, muscle relaxants and painkillers on large animals.
- Medetomidine, detomidine and xylazine are similar drugs, but medetomidine is more potent than detomidine and 100 to 200 times more potent and longer acting than xylazine.
- Xylazine and medetomidine are common adulterants found in synthetic street opioids in parts of North America, where the mixture is known as ‘tranq’ or ‘tranq dope’.
- In the UK, xylazine and medetomidine are rarely sought out for their effects but in recent years have both been identified as adulterants in a range of street drugs including heroin, synthetic opioids, codeine, synthetic cannabinoids and ketamine.
