TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2015//
TI  - Heroin overdose resuscitation with naloxone: patient uses own prescribed supply to save the life of a peer
JO  - BMJ case reports
A1  - Winston, Ian
A1  - McDonald, Rebecca
A1  - Tas, Basak
A1  - Strang, John
SP  - 2015
EP  - 210391
VL  - 2015
IS  - 
N2  - Opiate overdose is the primary cause of death among injection-drug users, representing a major public health concern worldwide. Opiate overdose can be reversed through timely administration of naloxone, and users have expressed willingness to carry the antidote for emergency use (take-home naloxone). In November 2014, new WHO guidelines identified that naloxone should be made available to anyone at risk of witnessing an overdose. We present the case of a 46-year-old man in opioid-maintenance treatment who used take-home naloxone to rescue an overdose victim. This is the first- ever account of a patient using dose titration of naloxone to restore respiratory function while minimising the risk of adverse effects. To improve the safety of take-home naloxone, the authors call for clinicians involved in the treatment of opiate users to: prescribe take-home naloxone to all patients; forewarn patients of potential side effects; and instruct patients in naloxone dose titration.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1757-790X
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2015-210391
ID  - ref1
ER  -