Signs of an Opioid Overdose
- Shallow breathing or not breathing at all
- Snoring or gurgling sounds (this can mean that a person’s airway is partly blocked)
- Slow or no heart rate and/or pulse
- Face is pale or clammy
- Bluish purple, or ashen skin color
- Fingernails turn blue or blue-black
- Floppy arms and legs
- No response to stimulus
- Disorientation
- Unrousable (can’t be woken up)/unconscious
THIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Get help if you encounter someone with these symptoms.
CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY.
If you can’t get a response from someone, don’t assume they are asleep. Not all overdoses happen quickly and sometimes it can take hours for someone to die. Action taken in those hours could save a life.