Illicit opioid overdoses are a significant problem throughout the world, with most deaths being attributed to opioid-induced respiratory depression which may involve peripheral mechanisms. The current treatment for overdoses is naloxone hydrochloride, which is effective but induces significant withdrawal. We propose that selectively peripherally acting opioid receptor antagonists, such as nalox...

Compared with naloxone, two opiate antagonists (naltrexone and S-20682) were tested in the intact dog in order to reverse respiratory depression, induced by fentanyl 50 micrograms kg-1 i.v. Respiratory rate and arterial blood-gases were measured at 5, 30, 60, 120, 180 and 240 min after the additional i.v. injection of the antagonist (1 microgram kg-1). Only S-20682, but not naloxone or naltrexo...

Respiratory depression limits the use of opioid analgesia. Although well described clinically, the specific mechanisms of opioid action on respiratory control centres in the brain have, until recently, been less well understood. This article reviews the mechanisms of opioid-induced respiratory depression, from the cellular to the systems level, to highlight gaps in our current understanding, an...

Respiratory depression limits the use of opioid analgesia. Although well described clinically, the specific mechanisms of opioid action on respiratory control centres in the brain have, until recently, been less well understood. This article reviews the mechanisms of opioid-induced respiratory depression, from the cellular to the systems level, to highlight gaps in our current understanding, an...

1261 June 2013 Drug-induced Respiratory Depressidon and Ampakines MANY of the drugs used currently by anesthesiologists produce serious side effects, of which respiratory depression is one that is potentially fatal. Although we know that anesthetics and opioids are relatively safe in the hands of anesthesiologists and other well-trained anesthesia specialists (although there are always potentia...

Opioid analgesia is the primary pharmacologic intervention for managing pain. However, opioids can cause various adverse effects including pruritus, nausea, constipation, and sedation. Respiratory depression is the most fatal side effect. Therefore, cautious monitoring of respiratory status must be done after opioid administration. Here, we report a patient who suffered from respiratory depress...

BACKGROUND There is an unmet clinical need to develop a pharmacological therapy to counter opioid-induced respiratory depression without interfering with analgesia or behavior. Several studies have demonstrated that 5-HT1A receptor agonists alleviate opioid-induced respiratory depression in rodent models. However, there are conflicting reports regarding their effects on analgesia due in part to...

Rationale: Rectal diazepam (0.5 mg/kg-maximum single dose 20 mg) is our standard practice for terminating prolonged (seizure > 5 minutes and continuing) or acute repetitive seizures in children, both inpatient and at home. Recently, clinically significant respiratory depression, requiring mechanical support has been reported in 8.8% of children receiving rectal diazepam (Norris et al, Dev. Med....

INTRODUCTION The incidence of respiratory depression in patients who are chemically sedated in the emergency department (ED) is not well understood. As the drugs used for chemical restraint are respiratory depressants, improving respiratory monitoring practice in the ED may be warranted. The objective of this study is to describe the incidence of respiratory depression in patients chemically se...