Doctors and first responders said more people are being rushed to hospitals because of a new drug in the Pittsburgh area that’s causing overdoses. It’s known on the street as “Flysky,” and the animal tranquilizer in the mix of drugs is resistant to Narcan.A warning is being sent out from medical professionals, such as UPMC’s Dr. Mohamed Hagahmed.The UPMC professor of emergency medicine said, “We need to make the public aware that medetomidine is out there on the streets. It is a drug normally used in animals and for animals that is now mixed with fentanyl and heroin.”They said it’s becoming more popular in our area, with overdose cases being uncovered in Allegheny, Butler and Fayette counties.A social media post from the Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission said there have been two confirmed overdoses and possibly a third related to drug packets stamped with “Flysky” in the Connellsville-Vanderbilt area.”In the first quarter of this year, when we compare it to 2024, there was 0% medetomidine in the drug supply. In the first quarter of this year, 95% of opioids have medetomidine in it,” said James Dlutowski, district chief of Pittsburgh EMS. “We are working on a rapid deployment of training program for medetomidine management in the field right now.”Dlutowski said not only is the animal tranquilizer in the mix resistant to Narcan, but withdrawal from the drug can be deadly.”Because the medetomidine doesn’t respond to the antidote, you’re left with these severe symptoms, including incredible high heart rates, dangerously low blood pressure. You get delirious, and usually require an ICU stay in intensive care, and a lot of times on a ventilator,” Dlutowski said.Hagahmed said Narcan can help keep the person breathing if they are overdosing until medics arrive.”There is a chance that it might oppose the action of the fentanyl, or the opioid that was mixed with medetomidine, and it can help give that patient a chance to live,” he said.
Doctors and first responders said more people are being rushed to hospitals because of a new drug in the Pittsburgh area that’s causing overdoses.
It’s known on the street as “Flysky,” and the animal tranquilizer in the mix of drugs is resistant to Narcan.
A warning is being sent out from medical professionals, such as UPMC’s Dr. Mohamed Hagahmed.
The UPMC professor of emergency medicine said, “We need to make the public aware that medetomidine is out there on the streets. It is a drug normally used in animals and for animals that is now mixed with fentanyl and heroin.”
They said it’s becoming more popular in our area, with overdose cases being uncovered in Allegheny, Butler and Fayette counties.
A social media post from the Fayette County Drug and Alcohol Commission said there have been two confirmed overdoses and possibly a third related to drug packets stamped with “Flysky” in the Connellsville-Vanderbilt area.
“In the first quarter of this year, when we compare it to 2024, there was 0% medetomidine in the drug supply. In the first quarter of this year, 95% of opioids have medetomidine in it,” said James Dlutowski, district chief of Pittsburgh EMS. “We are working on a rapid deployment of training program for medetomidine management in the field right now.”
Dlutowski said not only is the animal tranquilizer in the mix resistant to Narcan, but withdrawal from the drug can be deadly.
“Because the medetomidine doesn’t respond to the antidote, you’re left with these severe symptoms, including incredible high heart rates, dangerously low blood pressure. You get delirious, and usually require an ICU stay in intensive care, and a lot of times on a ventilator,” Dlutowski said.
Hagahmed said Narcan can help keep the person breathing if they are overdosing until medics arrive.
“There is a chance that it might oppose the action of the fentanyl, or the opioid that was mixed with medetomidine, and it can help give that patient a chance to live,” he said.
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