Essentials: Prescribing Naloxone to Patients for Overdose Reversal-Event Handout

Event Handout
Pdf Summary
The document discusses the prescribing of naloxone, a medication used to reverse opioid overdose. It begins by highlighting the opioid epidemic and the increase in opioid prescriptions in the US. The document also mentions the misconceptions about the risk of addiction and overdose in pain patients. It goes on to discuss the overdose epidemic and the risk factors for opioid overdose, such as high opioid doses, recent release from a controlled environment, and mixing opioids with other substances.<br /><br />The basic pharmacology of naloxone is described, noting its mechanism of action as an opioid antagonist and its ability to displace bound agonists and prevent other agonists from binding. The document also highlights the efficacy of naloxone in reversing overdose based on various studies.<br /><br />The different forms of naloxone available for bystander reversal of overdose are discussed, including intramuscular, intranasal, and auto-injector formulations. There is also mention of naloxone nasal spray and its administration using a mucosal atomization device.<br /><br />The document emphasizes the importance of educating patients about overdose, naloxone, and overdose prevention. It recommends discussing risk factors for overdose and assessing patients' history of opioid overdose, opioid use disorder, or high-dose opioid use. The document provides examples of questions that can be asked during these discussions.<br /><br />The process of prescribing naloxone to patients is outlined, including writing prescriptions for various formulations of naloxone and discussing common issues such as insurance coverage and cost.<br /><br />The document also delves into the use of standing orders and collaborative pharmacy practice agreements for naloxone prescribing.<br /><br />Lastly, the document mentions opioid overdose prevention programs, which train individuals at risk for overdose on how to prevent, recognize, and respond to overdose. It highlights the success of these programs in reducing overdose death rates and provides resources for further information.<br /><br />In summary, the document provides comprehensive information on prescribing naloxone for overdose reversal, including discussions on risk factors, education, different formulations, and implementation of overdose prevention programs.
Keywords
naloxone
opioid overdose
prescribing
opioid epidemic
misconceptions
risk factors
pharmacology
bystander reversal
education
standing orders