Naloxone treatment of acute alcoholic or benzodiazepine intoxication

Abstract

Naloxone (0.8–1.6 mg i.v.) effectively counteracted the clinical signs associated with benzodiazepine intoxication in 9 out of 10 emergency room patients. Naloxone (0.8–2.8 mg i.v.) also favorably influenced the state of consciousness in 9 out of 9 alcohol‐intoxicated patients. In cases of acute narcotic overdose, the action of naloxone is almost immediate. Since a longer time was required for naloxone to counteract benzodiazepine or alcohol intoxication, the mechanism of action may be different from that implied in narcotic overdose. In the present cases, naloxone may have acted directly on the respiratory or consciousness centres of the brain.

Benefit effect of naloxone in benzodiazepines intoxication: Findings of a preliminary study

“…4,5,11 In addition, there are limited studies on the assessment of naloxone effects on benzodiazepines poisoning. Some old studies in 70s and 80s have shown that naloxone can be used in benzodiazepine poisoning, [6][7][8][9][10] and it has relative effects on disappearing of anxiolytic function and decreases consciousness level of diazepam, 12,13 but some other studies in those years could not prove this beneficial effects of naloxone. 14,15 After that, no valuabe human studies have been done in this field.…”

“…Naloxone has had beneficial effects in some of these studies, while it has had no effects in others. [6][7][8][9][10] Hence, the aim of this study was assessment of naloxone effects in patients with benzodiazeoines poisoning, who were referred to the Loghman Hakim Poisoning hospital in Tehran.…”