Question

Your adult patient is in respiratory arrest due to an opioid overdose. The team is delivering 1 ventilation every 6 seconds. You administered the recommended dose of naloxone. How often may this dose be repeated?

-Every 7 to 9 minutes as needed
-Every 10 to 15 minutes as needed
-Every 2 to 3 minutes as needed
-Every 4 to 6 minutes as needed

Answer 1

The dose of naloxone may be repeated every 2 to 3 minutes as needed in case of an opioid overdose. Continued ventilation and patient observation are crucial due to naloxone's short duration of action.

Step-by-step explanation:

The recommended dose of naloxone, an opioid overdose reversal medication, can be repeated every 2 to 3 minutes as needed. Naloxone works by antagonizing the actions of opioids and can reverse respiratory depression caused by opioid overdose. It is important to continue to deliver ventilations at a rate of 1 every 6 seconds and repeat naloxone administration if the patient does not respond to the initial dose, observing for signs of improvement or the return of spontaneous respiration.

Due to the short duration of action of naloxone and the possibility of prolonged effects of the ingested opioid, monitoring and potentially repeated dosing are critical in opioid overdose management.