What You Need To Know
The New Jersey Poison Information and Education System (NJPIES) is alerting healthcare providers to an increasing number of patients presenting with severe medetomidine withdrawal. Over the past month, cases have been reported from hospitals across the state in which patients initially treated for opioid withdrawal continued to deteriorate despite appropriate opioid agonist therapy. These patients developed progressive and often profound tachycardia, severe hypertension, tachypnea, tremor, muscle spasticity, and altered mental status consistent with alpha-2 agonist withdrawal.
Please find attached to this alert two corresponding documents including one written statement from NJPIES explaining more in depth the details of the increase in medetomidine withdrawal cases, and one document titled "Guidance for Managing Medetomidine Exposure" developed by Southern New Jersey Medication for Addiction Treatment Center of Excellence (SNJMATCOE).
Click here to download the written statement
Click here to download “Guidance for Managing Medotomidine Exposure”