A patient has overdosed on methadone and is brought into the emergency department unresponsive and is having 4 respirations per minute. The patient is administered IV naloxone and immediately wakes and demands to know where he is and what is he doing there. Over the next 45 to 60 minutes after the administration of the naloxone, what clinical effects would you expect and what dynamics explain your answers?
Methadone is pain killer that belongs to the group of opioid medications. The toxic effects of methadone last for 24 hours. A single dose of Naloxone can save the patient from the life threathening situation but further infusion of naloxone is needed to overcome the effects of methodone overdosage. After 45-60 minutes of administration of naloxone, the clinical effects that can be expected from the parient are normal breathing pattern, increased number of respirations, improved circulation and adequate blood pressure, Normal pupillary reaction. Although it reverse the effect of methadone but it will also cause withdrawal symptoms like nausea,vomiting, running nose, sweating,aches and diarrhea.
Naloxone works on the opioid receptors in the body. It antagonizes the opioid effect by competing for opiate receptors in CNS.
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