Opioid Overdose Prevention for Law Enforcement and First Responders
What is naloxone?
Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It is an opioid antagonist meaning that it binds to opioid receptors and can reverse and block the effects of other opioids. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of overdosing with heroin or prescription opioid pain medications.
How is naloxone given?
There are three FDA-approved formulations of naloxone:
Injectable (professional training required)
Generic brands of injectable naloxone vials are offered by a variety of companies that are listed in the FDA Orange Book under "naloxone" (look for "injectable").
Note: There has been widespread use of improvised emergency kits that combine an injectable formulation of naloxone with an atomizer that can deliver naloxone intranasally. Use of this product requires the user to be trained on proper assembly a...
See Also: Opioid Overdose Reversal with Naloxone (Narcan, Evzio)