Final answer:
To prevent opioid overdose fatalities, basic life support care should be provided and naloxone must be administered when an overdose is suspected. Naloxone can reverse the effects of opioids and is critical for keeping the individual breathing until professional help arrives.
Step-by-step explanation:
Opioid overdose-associated fatalities can be prevented if you provide basic life support care and immediately administer naloxone when opioid overdose is suspected. Naloxone, also known as Narcan, is an opioid-overdose antidote that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose by blocking opioid receptors. Opioids like opium, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, and Vicodin can slow or stop a person's breathing, which often leads to overdose deaths. Naloxone helps the person wake up and keeps them breathing until emergency medical treatment can be provided. It's essential to increase access to overdose-reversal drugs and to naloxone, alongside recovery services and implementing better public health monitoring systems. Moreover, avoiding the concomitant use of benzodiazepines and opioids is advised due to increased risk of sedation and overdose.