EMR Mia is called to the home of a 56-year-old woman who has a history of back pain. The patient’s son found his mother lying on the couch, slurring her words and refusing to get up. He suspects that she has taken an overdose of the opioids her doctor prescribed to manage her back pain. The son explains to Mia that his mother has just had her prescription filled, but there are no pills left in the bottle. Mia calls a poison control center, relaying the details of the prescription to the operator. They advise Mia to administer naloxone to the patient. Which of the following statements BEST describes the effect that naloxone will have on the patient?

Question

Naloxone will attach to the opioids in her body, preventing their absorption.

Naloxone will cause the patient to vomit and expel the opioids from her stomach.

Naloxone will reverse the effect of the opioids and stimulate her respiratory function.

Naloxone will suppress the patient’s immune reaction to the opioids in her system.

Answer 1

The statement that BEST describes the effect that naloxone will have on the patient is:

Naloxone will reverse the effect of the opioids and stimulate her respiratory function.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, which means it works by binding to the same receptors in the brain that opioids bind to, effectively blocking or reversing the effects of the opioids, particularly their suppressive effect on respiratory function. This can help restore normal breathing in someone who has overdosed on opioids.