Today is the First Day of
the Rest of Your Life

Get Started

Monday, January 21, 2019

New App Detects Opioid Overdoses

A new app may provide opioid users with a way to ask for help in the event of an overdose. The app, named Second Chance, can detect slowed or stopped breathing as a result of an overdose. It works by converting the speaker and microphone of the smartphone into a sonar system that emits high frequency sound waves that bounce off a user’s chest. In an emergency, the app could call 911 or send a message to friends or family who have access to and could administer the opiate antidote naloxone (Narcan).

“Being able to track an overdose when a person may be by themselves could significantly improve the ability to save lives,” psychiatrist Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) in Bethesda, MD, told Science News.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 130 people die from an opioid overdose every day in the United States. And many of the individuals are alone and powerless to call for help.

"We're experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of deaths from opioid use, and it's unfortunate because these overdoses are a completely reversible phenomena if they're detected in time," Dr. Jacob Sunshine, an assistant professor of anesthesiology and pain medicine at the UW School of Medicine., told CNBC.

Researchers tested the app on 94 users in Vancouver at a legally sanctioned injection facility where people use heroin and fentanyl under medical supervision in an effort to prevent overdoses. The app detected 47 out of 49 cases where the user stopped breathing and 41 out of 47 cases where a patient was breathing too slowly. The app misjudged five of the 47 cases where the user was breathing frequently enough. Researchers also simulated overdoses with 20 volunteers who received standard anesthetic medications that caused 30 seconds of slow or no breathing. The app detected abnormal respiration in 19 patients.

The team, which is applying for FDA approval, anticipates that the app will be on the market in roughly eight months – and hopefully sooner if they get fast track priority approval by the FDA, researchers told CNBC.

Opioid Addiction Treatment for Young Adults
Young adults (age 18 to 25) are the biggest abusers of prescription opioid pain relievers, according to the NIDA. And early intervention is the most successful treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling with opioid addiction, don’t wait to get help. Call today: 866-930-4673.

CignaAetnaBlueCross BlueShieldUnited HealthcareMore Options/Verify Benefits

Call us at to Learn About Open Enrollment

Request A Call Back