Editing Naloxone (section)

===Opioid overdose===
[[File:NaloxoneKit.jpg|thumb|A naloxone kit as distributed in British Columbia, Canada]]

Naloxone is useful in treating both acute [[opioid overdose]] and respiratory or mental depression due to opioids.<ref name="AHFS2015"/> Whether it is useful in those in [[cardiac arrest]] due to an opioid overdose is unclear.<ref name="special circum 2015">{{cite journal | vauthors = Lavonas EJ, Drennan IR, Gabrielli A, Heffner AC, Hoyte CO, Orkin AM, Sawyer KN, Donnino MW | title = Part 10: Special Circumstances of Resuscitation: 2015 American Heart Association Guidelines Update for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care | journal = Circulation | volume = 132 | issue = 18 Suppl 2 | pages = S501–S518 | date = November 2015 | pmid = 26472998 | doi = 10.1161/cir.0000000000000264 | doi-access = free | title-link = doi }}</ref>

It is included as a part of emergency overdose response kits distributed to [[heroin]], [[fentanyl]], and other opioid drug users, and to emergency responders. This has been shown to reduce rates of deaths due to overdose.<ref name="pmid16956873">{{cite journal | vauthors = Maxwell S, Bigg D, Stanczykiewicz K, Carlberg-Racich S | title = Prescribing naloxone to actively injecting heroin users: a program to reduce heroin overdose deaths | journal = Journal of Addictive Diseases | volume = 25 | issue = 3 | pages = 89–96 | year = 2006 | pmid = 16956873 | doi = 10.1300/J069v25n03_11 | s2cid = 17246459 }}</ref> A prescription for naloxone is recommended if a person is on a high dose of opioid (>100{{nbsp}}mg of [[morphine]] equivalence/day), is prescribed any dose of opioid accompanied by a [[benzodiazepine]], or is suspected or known to use opioids nonmedically.<ref>{{cite web |title=Project Lazarus, Wilkes County, North Carolina |work=Policy Briefing Document Prepared for the North Carolina Medical Board in Advance of the Public Hearing Regarding Prescription Naloxone |year=2007 |location=Raleigh, NC |url=http://intranasal.net/Peer%20Reviewed%20literature/Project%20Lazarus,%20North%20Carolina%20IN%20Naloxone%202007.pdf |access-date=20 March 2022 |archive-date=26 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220526182242/http://intranasal.net/Peer%20Reviewed%20literature/Project%20Lazarus,%20North%20Carolina%20IN%20Naloxone%202007.pdf |url-status=live }}{{page needed|date=February 2014}}{{verify source|date=February 2014}}</ref> Prescribing naloxone should be accompanied by standard education that includes preventing, identifying, and responding to an overdose; rescue breathing; and calling emergency services.<ref name="pmid23664112">{{cite journal | vauthors = Bowman S, Eiserman J, Beletsky L, Stancliff S, Bruce RD | title = Reducing the health consequences of opioid addiction in primary care | journal = The American Journal of Medicine | volume = 126 | issue = 7 | pages = 565–571 | date = July 2013 | pmid = 23664112 | doi = 10.1016/j.amjmed.2012.11.031 }}</ref>

Distribution of naloxone to individuals likely to encounter people who overdose is one aspect of [[harm reduction]] strategies.<ref>{{cite book | veditors = Marlatt GA, Larimer ME, Witkiewitz K | date = 2011 | title = Harm reduction: Pragmatic strategies for managing high-risk behaviors. | edition = 2nd | location = New York | publisher = Guilford Press | isbn = 978-1-4625-0256-1 }}</ref>

However, with opioids that have longer half-lives, respiratory depression returns after naloxone has worn off; therefore, adequate dosing and continuous monitoring may be necessary.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = van Dorp E, Yassen A, Dahan A | title = Naloxone treatment in opioid addiction: the risks and benefits | journal = Expert Opinion on Drug Safety | volume = 6 | issue = 2 | pages = 125–132 | date = March 2007 | pmid = 17367258 | doi = 10.1517/14740338.6.2.125 | s2cid = 11650530 }}</ref>