The role of naloxone infusions in the treatment of overdoses of long half-life narcotic agonists: application to nor-methadone.

Abstract

This report describes the use of a naloxone infusion at a rate of 300 micrograms/h to provide constant antagonism of the respiratory depressant effects of a near fatal nor-methadone dose in a 2 year old boy. The terminal half-life for nor-methadone was calculated to be 13.5 h. The results indicate that a single dose of a narcotic antagonist with a short half-life (e.g. naloxone) will probably be inadequate to provide long lasting reversal of the effects of overdoses of long half-life narcotic agonists, and that continuous infusion may be the preferable to repeated bolus doses.

• Authors: G K Gourlay, K Coulthard
• Journal: British journal of clinical pharmacology (Br J Clin Pharmacol) Vol. 15 Issue 2 Pg. 269-71 (Feb 1983) ISSN: 0306-5251 [Print] England
• PMID: 6849762 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Naloxone
• normethadone
• Methadone

Topics

• Apnea (chemically induced)
• Child, Preschool
• Humans
• Infusions, Parenteral
• Male
• Methadone (analogs & derivatives, antagonists & inhibitors, blood, poisoning)
• Naloxone (therapeutic use)