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Written by Drew Redd. Mina Draskovic, B.Psy., reviewed this content for accuracy.
The rise of xylazine-laced opioids has fueled a surge in overdoses and addiction. A 2022 Cureus study revealed an alarming surge in xylazine overdose deaths from 2015 to 2020.
Ardu offers specialized care and support to beat xylazine addiction. Our Utah drug addiction treatment center includes individualized therapy, medical detox, and holistic approaches to equip you with the tools for lasting recovery. With a dedicated team of professionals and a supportive environment, we ensure you have everything needed to overcome xylazine addiction and reclaim your life.
The first crucial step in your recovery journey is our specialized xylazine detox program. A team of experts will guide you through the withdrawal process safely and lay the foundation for long-term sobriety.
Xylazine addiction leads to a range of physical and psychological symptoms. These may be difficult to recognize at first, but as the addiction progresses, the signs of addiction become more apparent.
If you suspect that someone you know is struggling with xylazine addiction, look out for the following common signs:
If you notice these signs in yourself or someone you care about, seek professional help. The addiction specialists at our xylazine detox and treatment center will address every aspect of substance dependence and prevent further harm.
Xylazine addiction can have severe and potentially life-threatening health implications. A 2022 case report of a 37-year-old woman with xylazine-induced skin ulcers pointed to many health problems associated with xylazine use.
Prolonged use can lead to decreased perfusion and impaired wound healing, leading to higher chances of infection of these ulcers. In addition to the topical effect of vasoconstriction, xylazine also leads to hypotension, bradycardia, and respiratory depression.
Let’s explain some of the most prominent negative health effects of xylazine addiction
Successful addiction treatment helps you break the destructive cycle of addiction and achieve lasting sobriety. At Ardu, we understand the unique challenges of xylazine addiction and we offer comprehensive, specialized support to your unique situation.
No matter the substance you’re addicted to, our drug and alcohol rehab center provides the care and resources you need to reclaim your life.
Addiction is a multifaceted condition that requires professional intervention and a comprehensive approach. Here’s why Ardu Recovery Center is the best place to begin and finish your recovery from xylazine or other types of addictions:
Our xylazine detox program provides a safe and supportive environment to guide you through the challenging process of detoxing from this potent sedative. When you abruptly stop xylazine use, you may trigger intense psychological and physical symptoms. At Ardu, our medically-assisted detox program gradually tapers dosages over time under 24/7 medication management and monitoring to minimize the risks and dangers associated with withdrawal.
Our xylazine detox journey begins with a thorough assessment conducted by our medical professionals to gain a deep understanding of your situation and develop an individualized treatment plan. We then employ medication-assisted treatment strategies to alleviate the uncomfortable and potentially dangerous xylazine withdrawal symptoms such as:
Throughout the entire detox process, you’ll receive round-the-clock care and monitoring. Our goal is to ensure your utmost comfort and safety while your body rids itself of the physical dependence on xylazine. Our experienced medical professionals, coupled with a nurturing and supportive environment, create the ideal conditions for a safe and successful detox, paving the way for your long-term recovery from xylazine addiction.
Our xylazine rehab takes place in a professional treatment facility focused on evidence-based practices. Our compassionate team draws from proven therapeutic approaches, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and motivational interviewing, to uncover and address the root causes of your xylazine addiction.
Alongside individual and group counseling sessions, we incorporate holistic wellness practices to promote complete mind-body healing. Our goal is to equip you with the necessary tools and coping strategies for lasting recovery from xylazine dependence.
Ardu Recovery Center offers both inpatient and outpatient options to accommodate your specific circumstances:
Whichever type of treatment you choose, our team creates individualized programs using proven therapeutic approaches. We’ll help you build the skills for lasting sobriety from xylazine while accommodating your unique situation and needs. Through our multi-faceted approach combining individual and group work, we empower you with the tools to achieve lasting freedom from xylazine dependence.
Contact Ardu and our caring specialists will be ready to work with you on a personalized treatment plan and get you on the road to recovery.
As a potent central nervous system depressant and alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, xylazine produces sedative and euphoric effects that can persist for 6-8 hours or even longer. This puts those misusing xylazine products or inadvertently exposed to them at heightened risk of overdose, especially when combined with synthetic opioids such as illicit fentanyl.
Xylazine is a veterinary tranquilizer and non-opioid substance increasingly found as an adulterant in the illicit drug supply. Its prolonged effects also increase the risk of severe respiratory depression when combined with other central nervous system depressants. This complicated drug interaction poses challenges for medical care and treatment providers dealing with polysubstance overdoses involving xylazine in the unregulated illicit drug supply.
Xylazine has a relatively rapid onset of action. After injection, the sedation and analgesic effects of this veterinary medicine typically kick in within 15–30 minutes. The drug’s potent effects on the central nervous system can last for several hours, with some cases reporting effects lingering for up to 24 hours if you take a high dose and inject it directly into the vein.
Xylazine was first synthesized and developed by Bayer AG, one of the major German multinational pharmaceutical companies, in the 1960s. It was created and approved for use as a sedative, analgesic, and muscle relaxant medication in veterinary medicine.
This potent animal tranquilizer has increasingly found its way into the unregulated illicit drug supply, where it is being abused by humans or used as an adulterant in heroin and fentanyl. The presence of xylazine in the opioid supply poses a severe threat because it increases the risk of respiratory depression, overdose, and other adverse effects when combined with these potent opioids.
Harm reduction organizations and health care professionals are trying to raise awareness about the dangers of xylazine exposure and implement measures such as xylazine test strips to detect its presence and prevent overdoses.
Xylazine is commonly available in powder form, so people often dissolve the powder in aqueous solutions such as water or saline before injecting. This allows easier injection of the substance, which has increasingly been detected in combination with illicit drugs like heroin and fentanyl powders or pills, contributing to the polysubstance overdose crisis.
When abused or inadvertently exposed to humans, xylazine poses several serious risks and disadvantages. As a non-opioid substance, it cannot be reversed by naloxone used for opioid overdose reversal. Key dangers include:
The scientific or chemical name for the veterinary drug xylazine is N-(2,6-dimethylphenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3-thiazin-2-amine. It belongs to the thiazine chemical class of heterocyclic compounds and acts as a potent alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, producing sedative, analgesic, and cardiovascular effects.
There is currently limited evidence on whether xylazine itself exhibits carcinogenic properties or increases cancer risk when used as intended for veterinary purposes. As a substance not intended for human use or consumption, more comprehensive research and toxicological studies may be needed to determine xylazine’s potential carcinogenicity, especially given its rising prevalence as an opioid adulterant contributing to the broader public health crisis of substance use disorders.
As a non-opioid substance classified as an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, xylazine is pharmacologically and functionally similar to other potent veterinary sedatives and analgesics such as detomidine, medetomidine, and clonidine. These drugs share mechanisms producing central nervous system depression, sedation, analgesic effects, respiratory depression, as well as cardiovascular effects like bradycardia and hypotension. While intended for animal use, their illicit abuse poses heightened risks of overdose, especially if combined with synthetic opioids.
Fentanyl is an extremely potent synthetic opioid and illicit drug, estimated to be 50-100 times stronger than morphine. A staggering number of drug overdose deaths in the United States is attributed to illicit street drugs such as heroin, fentanyl pills, or fentanyl powder. The rise of fentanyl and its analogs in the unregulated drug supply has led to dangerous combinations with hazardous substances such as the animal tranquilizer xylazine, posing severe risks of overdose deaths and the need for urgent care.
Fentanyl is a powerful opioid medication primarily used for pain relief, often in cases of severe cancer pain or for managing pain after major surgery. Its legitimate medical uses are highly controlled due to its strength and high potential for opioid addiction. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl has flooded the illicit drug market, contributing to tens of thousands of fentanyl deaths annually across the United States and fueling the broader opioid crisis.
Oxycodone is a stronger opioid and more potent drug of abuse than morphine. While they are both opioid analgesics, oxycodone is estimated to be around 1.5 to 2 times more potent than morphine when taken orally for pain relief. Relative strengths vary based on the dose, route of administration, and individual factors. Both medications carry significant risks of addiction, overdose, and need for addiction treatment services, especially when abused or used in combination with fentanyl or other substances.
Opioids such as fentanyl, heroin, and prescription opioid painkillers produce their euphoric and addictive effects by activating specific opioid receptors in the brain’s reward system. When these illicit opioids bind to mu-opioid receptors, they trigger a release of dopamine, reinforcing drug-taking behavior. Over time, the brain becomes dependent on external opioids, driving compulsive use and eventual opioid use disorder. This underlies the powerful physical and psychological aspects of opioid addiction that often require comprehensive addiction treatment approaches and even medication-assisted therapy.
Malayala, S. V., Papudesi, B. N., Bobb, R., & Wimbush, A. (2022). Xylazine-Induced Skin Ulcers in a Person Who Injects Drugs in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Cureus, 14(8). https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.28160
Papudesi, B. N., Malayala, S. V., & Regina, A. C. (2023, July 17). Xylazine Toxicity. StatPearls – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK594271/
Wagner, A.E., Muir, W.W., & Hinchcliff, K.W. (1991). Cardiovascular effects of xylazine and detomidine in horses. American journal of veterinary research, 52 5, 651-7
Xylazine and Novel Substances – MN Dept. of Health. (n.d.). https://www.web.health.state.mn.us/communities/opioids/basics/xylazine.html
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