Question

A 45-year-old woman comes to the emergency room by ambulance unconscious and barely breathing. Paramedics found an empty bottle of 90 tablets of 2 mg clonazepam on her dresser that was filled at the pharmacy the day before. One of the first agents to administer to this patient in the acute setting is:

A. Naloxone
B. Flumazenil
C. Dimercaprol
D. Atropine
E. Epinephrine

Answer 1

Flumazenil is the agent to administer to a patient with a suspected benzodiazepine overdose, as it can reverse the sedative effects by antagonizing benzodiazepine receptors.

Step-by-step explanation:

One of the first agents to administer to a 45-year-old woman who arrives at the emergency room unconscious and barely breathing, with a suspected overdose of clonazepam, is flumazenil. Clonazepam is a type of benzodiazepine, which are central nervous system depressants used to sedate, prevent seizures, and relieve anxiety. Flumazenil is an antidote for benzodiazepine overdose because it is a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, which can reverse the sedative effects by displacing the benzodiazepine from its receptor site. In contrast, naloxone is used to reverse opioid overdose and would not be appropriate for a benzodiazepine overdose. Similarly, other agents like atropine and epinephrine have different indications and would not be appropriate in this scenario.