In this episode of Taking Healthcare by Storm, Quality Insights Medical Director Dr. Jean Storm speaks with Michael Hambuchen, PharmD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Science and Research, Marshall University School of Pharmacy, and Todd Davies, PhD, Associate Director of Research and Development, Division of Addiction Sciences in the Department of Family and Community Health, Marshall University’s Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

Dr. Hambuchen and Dr. Davies discuss their motivations for substance use and overdose research and explain why combined opioid-stimulant overdoses are unpredictable and dangerous, including naloxone-unmasked agitation and complications from fentanyl contamination. They describe preclinical studies combining naloxone with dexmedetomidine to manage post-reversal agitation and with an alpha-2 antagonist to address fentanyl-xylazine effects beyond respiratory depression, and highlight the need for multi-pathway treatments, better drug-supply monitoring, and improved testing and long-term, customized therapies.

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The views and opinions expressed by the host and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views, positions, or policies of Quality Insights. Publication number QI-022026-GK