Roberto Sanchez, MD. Addiction psychiatry fellow, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT.
Noah Capurso, MD, MHS. Assistant professor of psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, CT; Editor-in-Chief, The Carlat Addiction Treatment Report.
Dr. Sanchez and Dr. Capurso have no financial relationships with companies related to this material.
Xylazine is the latest contaminant being found in the American illicit drug supply. A non-opioid itself, xylazine is usually combined with fentanyl, with which it has synergistic sedative effects. Patients using xylazine can have profound levels of sedation and develop severe peripheral wounds. In this article, we discuss xylazine essentials and cover harm reduction strategies to help keep your patients safe.