no specific antidote to treat humans who overdose on xylazine. hemodialysis has been suggested as a form of treatment, but is usually unfavorable due to the large volume of distribution of xylazine. there are no standardized screenings to determine if an overdose has occurred. detection of xylazine in humans involves various screening methods, such as urine screenings, thin layer chromatography (tlc), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (gc-ms) and liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (lc-ms). as of november 2022, xylazine detection in bloodstream requires a spectrophotometer-based test. as of 1998, in veterinary medicine, the alpha-2 antagonist atipamezole was used to reverse the effects of xylazine or the related drug dexmedetomidine, but while as of 2005 this was tested in humans in phase i trials, it is not an approved medical treatment for xylazine overdose as of 2001, effects of xylazine were also reversed by the analeptics 4-aminopyridine, doxapram, and caffeine, which are physiological antagonists to central nervous system depressants. research initiatives may be necessary in order to standardize treatment and determine effective measures for identifying chronic xylazine usage and intoxication. as of 2014, multiple drugs have been used as supportive therapeutic intervention such as lidocaine, naloxone, thiamine, lorazepam, vecuronium, etomidate, propofol, tolazoline, yohimbine, atropine, orciprenaline, metoclopramide, ranitidine, metoprolol, enoxaparin, flucloxacillin, insulin, and irrigation of both eyes with saline. the treatment after xylazine overdose should primarily involve maintaining respiratory function and blood pressure. in cases of intoxication, physicians recommend intravenous fluid infusion, atropine, and hospital observation. severe cases may require endotracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, gastric lavage, activated charcoal, bladder catheterization, electrocardiographic (ecg) and hyperglycemia monitoring. physicians typically recommend which detoxification treatment should be used to manage possible dysfunction involving highly perfused organs, such as the liver and kidney. in 2022, fda informed health care providers about the risks to patients exposed to xylazine in illicit drugs. xylazine and fentanyl drug mixtures place users at a higher risk of suffering a fatal drug poisoning. because xylazine is not an opioid, naloxone (narcan) does not reverse its effects. as of 2023, experts recommend administering naloxone if someone might be suffering a drug poisoning.