Treatment of opiate overdose

 

The patient should first be given oxygen if they are unconscious and a clear airway should be established due to respiratory depression.

 

Naloxone (a competitive opioid antagonist) should be given IV or IM (0.4-2 mg) as soon as possible if coma or respiratory depression is present. The dose should be repeated if there is no response within two minutes and large doses (4 mg) may be required in a severe overdose. If this still fails then it is likely another depressant drug has been taken concurrently or the patient has brain damage. Repeated doses of naloxone may be required due to its short half life.

 

Oral activated charcoal can be given if a large amount of heroin has been consumed within the last 2 hours, however, the airways must be protected.