USA. Philly hospitals test new strategy for ‘tranq dope’ withdrawal – and it keeps patients from walking out before their treatment is done

Unimaginable pain and restlessness. Vomiting so frequent and forceful that it can perforate the esophagus. Blood pressure and heart rate so high that they damage the heart. Sweating that drenches clothing and sheets. Nerve sensitivity that makes even the softest touch agonizing. A prolonged panic attack that is provoked and worsened by even mundane activities and conversations.

The withdrawal symptoms from “tranq dope” – the combination of the synthetic opioid fentanyl and the animal tranquilizer xylazine that dominates Philadelphia’s street opioids suppy – tend to be far worse than those experienced by even the most severe heroin users of the past.

So it’s no surprise that people will do whatever they can to forestall them. That includes walking out of the hospital before their care is complete.

I’m an associate professor of emergency medicine who has spent a decade as an emergency physician working in Center City and South Philadelphia. I’ve spent most of that time directing projects to improve care for people who use drugs. (The Conversation, Frankreich, 16.10.2024)

https://theconversation.com/philly-hospitals-test-new-strategy-for-tranq-dope-withdrawal-and-it-keeps-patients-from-walking-out-before-their-treatment-is-done-239915