Emergence of xylazine as a public health threat: what does the anesthesiologist need to know for perioperative care?

Reg Anesth Pain Med

Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Chronic Pain Division, UPMC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Published: February 2024

This paper explores the rapid emergence of xylazine exposure in the USA and its implications for anesthesiologists. Xylazine, a non-opioid sedative and analgesic often used in veterinary medicine, has increasingly been found as an adulterant in the illicit substance supply, leading to serious health implications. The pharmacological properties of xylazine, its clinical effects, and the challenges it poses for clinicans will be discussed. Perioperative strategies for anesthesiologists to manage these potential cases are provided. Furthermore, this paper necessitates an epidemiological understanding for detection and multidisciplinary collaboration in addressing this emerging public health threat. The manuscript concludes by emphasizing the role anesthesiologists will have to play in managing the clinical implications of xylazine and contributing to public health strategies aimed at curbing its misuse.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/rapm-2023-105190DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

public health
12
emergence xylazine
8
health threat
8
xylazine public
4
health
4
threat anesthesiologist
4
anesthesiologist perioperative
4
perioperative care?
4
care? paper
4
paper explores
4

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!