Question

Which agent is most likely to cause serious respiratory depression as a potential adverse reaction?

Select one:
a. Dantrolene (Dantrium)
b. ibuprofen (Advil)
c. Naloxone (Narcan)
d. Morphine (Duramorph)

Answer 1

Morphine (Duramorph) is the agent among the listed options most likely to cause serious respiratory depression, as it is an opioid that can slow or stop breathing at higher doses.

Step-by-step explanation:

The agent most likely to cause serious respiratory depression as a potential adverse reaction is morphine (Duramorph). Morphine is an opioid pain reliever that, at higher doses, has narcotic effects including drowsiness and potential loss of consciousness. Opioids, which include drugs like morphine and fentanyl, can slow or stop a person's breathing, leading to overdose deaths. Conversely, naloxone (Narcan) is an opioid antagonist used as an antidote to reverse opioid overdose effects, including respiratory depression, by displacing the opioid from its receptors without producing euphoria or respiratory depression itself. Therefore, morphine, being an opioid, is the substance among the provided options with a significant risk of causing respiratory depression.