noun
- A medication that rapidly reverses the effects of opioid overdose by blocking opioid receptors in the brain.
Usage: Medical/pharmaceutical term; Often administered as an injection or nasal spray; Brand name: Narcan
Examples
- Paramedics administered naloxone to the overdose victim within minutes of arrival.
- Naloxone is a life-saving drug that can reverse respiratory depression caused by opioids.
- Many communities now distribute naloxone kits to people at risk of opioid overdose.
- The nasal spray form of naloxone is easier to use than the injectable version.
- Naloxone works by displacing opioids from receptors in the central nervous system.
- Emergency rooms keep naloxone readily available for overdose patients.