Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 1 of 1
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Emergency Room Use Of Opioid Antagonists In Drug Intoxication And Overdose, Simon Clarke, Rob Torok, Paul Dargan, Alison Jones
Emergency Room Use Of Opioid Antagonists In Drug Intoxication And Overdose, Simon Clarke, Rob Torok, Paul Dargan, Alison Jones
Alison L Jones
Opioid receptor antagonists are effective at reversing the clinical features of opioid toxicity; however, if administered overenthusiastically, they can precipitate acute withdrawal symptoms (AWS) in regular opioid users. These symptoms may cause the patients to discharge themselves against medical advice and they are in danger of renarcotization either due to the effect of the antagonists wearing off or because of the patients seek further opioids, often in larger doses, to overcome AWS. Clinicians treating opioid overdose are therefore walking a clinical tightrope between undertreating the patient and precipitating AWS. The three opioid antagonists that have been licensed for clinical use …