MED REVIEW MONDAY

Naloxone aka Narcan is an opioid antagonist, it works by blocking the opioid receptor and therefore can counteract the depression of the CNS and respiratory system caused by opioids. This is the drug you push when you suspect a morphine overdose (I believe the guideline is less than 8 respirations per minute). It is often made available by public health agencies to heroin users in case of accidental overdose. The drug also blocks pain-lowering endorphins which register in the same receptor as opioids. Narcan is used in a combination pill that aids in the detox of opioid users.