Lethal and insidious
Addiction is potentially the most lethal disease we encounter in medical practice. As emergency healthcare providers we can have an enormous impact on 'years of life lost' by managing this illness well.
Tag Naloxone
Pharm 101: Naloxone
ACEM Primary Pharmacology of Naloxone: the Pharmacokinetics; Pharmacodynamics; Clinical uses; Adverse effects
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 191
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 191 - Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, some medical trivia FFFF.
Naloxone
This opioid antagonist is a useful adjunct in the management of opioid intoxication, particularly if there is CNS or respiratory depression. Caution is advised in those who are opiate-dependant and naloxone should only be used if there is significant CNS (GCS <12) and respiratory depression (RR <8).
Suboxone poisoning
The phone rings as you sit down for lunch. You are asked for advice concerning a drowsy 2 year-old boy who was brought in to a Children's Emergency Department by his worried parents.
Opioid Overdose
Opioid Overdose: miosis; CNS depression; respiratory depression; complications of hypoxia: seizures, dysrrhythmia, brain injury
Naloxone
Naloxone: opioid receptor antagonist; competitive antagonism at mu, kappa and delta receptors -> prevention of binding to endogenous and exogenous opiate receptors.