Quantitative Xylazine Measurement Among Non-Fatal Opioid Overdose Patients in the Emergency Department

Xylazine, a veterinary medication and alpha-2 agonist drug with clinical effects including prolonged sedation and skin/soft tissue wounds, has been increasingly detected with fentanyl in the illicit opioid supply. Due to its rapid emergence, limited knowledge exists regarding xylazine's health effects. In this proposed research, Dr. Love will measure xylazine and its metabolites in blood and urine samples using laboratory and point-of-care assays. Working at two New York City emergency departments, Dr. Love will collect waste serum and urine from opioid overdose patients to measure xylazine and its metabolite concentrations. The researcher will also perform qualitative assessment of urine samples with xylazine test strips to characterize urine xylazine detection using a harm reduction tool.