Medetomidine, a powerful animal tranquilizer is making its way into the drug opioid crisis.
Medetomidine is a veterinary sedative not approved for human consumption but there are reports of outbreaks across the U.S.
“So one of the big differences with medetomidine and we don’t really know where this is heading is it is actually more potent than xylazine and lasts longer,” said Dr. Avery Michienzi, assistant medical director of UVA Health’s Blue Ridge Poison Center. “So, all those questions we have about xylazine that are unanswered, they’re still unanswered for medetomidine.”
Sleepiness, low blood pressure, and low heart rate are the effects of the drug, which when combined with opioid medications and other substances can pose risk to users.