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Intravenous naloxone is the most rapid and predictable option for reversing respiratory depression in patients with opioid overdose, but gaining timely IV access in such patients is often difficult. Researchers retrospectively reviewed records for 154 patients with suspected opioid overdose who were treated with naloxone in a single prehospital setting over 17 months. Patients were eligible for treatment if respiratory rate was 8 breaths per minute or less. Overall, 104 patients received IV naloxone, and 50 received intranasal naloxone (1 mg in each nostril via a mucosal atomizer device).
A positive clinical response (either an increase in respiratory rate of at least 6 breaths per minute or an improvement in Glasgow Coma Scale score of at l…