FDA urges higher naloxone doses in fentanyl era

Abstract

A small‐scale study funded by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found that in community settings (as opposed to ambulances or hospital emergency rooms) where there is no oxygen available, the window in which naloxone can reverse injury due to oxygen deprivation and death due to cardiac arrest is limited. The study, conducted with 21 healthy participants, compared administration of different doses of naloxone, which comes in 4 milligram doses intranasally. The study used simulations of fentanyl administrations. It found that more naloxone has to be given right away, without waiting 2 minutes as is currently recommended before administering the next dose. The study looked at naloxone plasma concentrations.