Naloxone

Mechanism of action: naloxone hydrochloride is an opioid antagonist with greatest affinity for the mu receptor. It acts by competing for the mu, kappa, and sigma opiate receptor sites in the CNS.

Therapeutic Class; antidote, opioid antagonist

Used:

• Overdose of opiate
• Reversal of opiate activity
• Respiratory depression with therapeutic opioid use
• Septic shock; adjunct

Contraindications: hypersensitivity to naloxone or any product ingredients

Side effects: erythema at injection site, dizziness, headache, cardiac arrest, hypertension, hypotension, tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, sweating, nausea, vomiting, coma, encephalopathy, seizure, tremor, pulmonary edema, opioid withdrawal

Pregnancy

• Fetal risk cannot be ruled out.

Breast Feeding

• WHO documentation states insufficient data.
• Micromedex: Infant risk cannot be ruled out.