Timedora

7 Opioid Overdose and Emergency Response

Learn to recognize possible opioid toxicity, respond safely to an overdose emergency, understand what naloxone can and cannot do, and reduce overdose risk.

Recognizing

Opioids can suppress the brain’s drive to breathe. can cause dangerously slow, shallow, irregular, or absent breathing, which can lead to brain injury or death.

Suspect an overdose if someone is difficult or impossible to wake, has a limp body, makes choking, gurgling, or unusual snoring sounds, or has pale, grayish, bluish, or clammy skin. Pinpoint pupils may occur, but their absence does not rule out overdose. If you are unsure, treat the situation as an emergency.

For example, a person who cannot be awakened and is making slow, gurgling breaths may be overdosing even if you do not know what they took. Do not leave them alone to “sleep it off.”

Responding to an overdose

Respond promptly if you suspect an overdose, even if you do not know which substance was taken.

  1. Check scene safety. Do not handle unknown powders, drugs, or needles. Call emergency services if the scene is unsafe.

  2. Try to wake the person. Call their name and use a firm shoulder tap. If they do not respond, act immediately.

  3. Call 911. Give the location and say the person is unresponsive and may be overdosing. Put the phone on speaker and follow the dispatcher’s directions. Do not wait to see whether works before calling.

  4. Give if available. Use the device according to its instructions. If the person does not respond or continues to have breathing problems, give another dose after 2–3 minutes if available. Continue following the product directions and dispatcher guidance.

  5. Support breathing. If the person is not breathing normally, provide or CPR if trained, and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. If they are breathing, place them on their side to help prevent choking.

  6. Stay with the person until emergency help arrives. Keep checking their breathing and responsiveness.

What to expect from

temporarily blocks opioid effects and can restore breathing. It may be given as a nasal spray or injection; use the specific product as directed. It can help with overdoses involving prescription opioids, heroin, or fentanyl, including when the exact substance is unknown. If opioids are not involved, generally will not reverse the emergency, so calling 911 remains essential.

’s effects may wear off before the opioid’s effects do. Breathing problems can return, so emergency medical assessment is necessary even if the person wakes up or seems better. A person who is dependent on opioids may experience withdrawal after , such as agitation, nausea, or vomiting. Keep them safe and continue monitoring their breathing.

Reducing overdose risk

Several precautions can help reduce overdose risk:

  • Take opioid medicines only as prescribed. Do not take more, take them more often, or change how they are taken without consulting the prescriber or pharmacist.

  • Do not combine opioids with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other sedating medicines unless a clinician has specifically assessed the combination. These substances can increase breathing suppression and overdose risk.

  • Keep medicines secured and out of reach of children and others; dispose of unused medicines safely.

  • Keep where it can be reached, learn how to use it, and tell household members where it is. Ask a clinician or pharmacist whether is appropriate for your situation.

  • Be especially cautious after a period of reduced or stopped opioid use: may have fallen, making a previously tolerated dose more dangerous. Discuss dose changes and overdose prevention with a clinician.