Higher Doses of Naloxone Are Associated with Increased Risk for Pulmonary Complications

But there are too many confounders to draw conclusions about causation.

Patients with opioid overdose are at risk for pulmonary complications, and it is unknown whether naloxone dosing affects the risk. To test for an association between naloxone dosing and pulmonary complications, researchers performed a chart review of patients who had received naloxone in the prehospital setting, either from emergency medical services (EMS) or prior to EMS arrival, from 2013 to 2016. Pulmonary complications, defined as any diagnosis of pulmonary edema, aspiration pneumonia, or aspiration pneumonitis, were compared between patients who received high total doses of naloxone (>4.4 mg) versus lower doses.

The analysis included 1831 patients (mean age, 40 years), who received a mean total naloxone dose of 2.5 mg. Pulmonary complic…

Reviewing Author

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Benton R. Hunter, MD

Disclosures

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesSociety for Academic Emergency Medicine (Chair, Evidence Based Healthcare Interest Group)

Higher Doses of Naloxone Are Associated with Increased Risk for Pulmonary Complications

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Reviewing Author