Drug Abuse by Veterinary Sedative Xylazine and Toxicity in Human

Users of veterinary medicines (veterinarians, veterinary technicians or animal farmers) are inadvertently or intentionally at risk of veterinary drug's abuse. Some medications, such as sedatives and anesthetics may lead to poisoning signs and even death in individuals due to the high toxicity. Xylazine as a non-narcotic drug is used as a sedative factor or a pre-anesthetic medicine in different animal species. Several cases of poisoning in humans have been reported by using xylazine inadvertently or intentionally. Used doses of xylazine among individuals have been reported from 40 to 2400 mg. Xylazine poisoning may increase the risk of depressive symptoms, deficits in central nervous system, bradycardia, hypotension, and respiratory depression, which are caused by stimulation of central and peripheral alpha 2 adrenergic. Treatment of xylazine poisoning includes fluid therapy (to regulate hypotension), tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation (for treatment of apnea), and prescription of atropine (to deal with bradycardia). It is necessary to train veterinarians and ranchers about the risk of veterinary sedative drugs and giving information to them about pharmacologic characteristics of xylazine and other alpha2-agonist drugs (i.e., detomidine and medetomidine) ), which are widely used in veterinary medicine.