What is naloxone?
Naloxone is a medicine that reverses the effects of an opioid emergency. Opioids are strong pain medicines. Examples include hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine. Heroin is also an opioid.
Taking too much of an opioid can slow or stop your breathing. This is an emergency. If naloxone is given soon enough, it may save a life.
Naloxone comes in a rescue kit you can carry with you. You may hear it called a Narcan kit.
The rescue kit may contain:
- A nasal spray device that contains the medicine.
- The medicine along with syringes and needles.
Your doctor can give you a prescription for a rescue kit and show you how to use it. In some places you can get kits without a prescription.
How and When to Give Naloxone
Why should you have a naloxone kit?
Naloxone kits save lives. Keep one with you at all times if you or someone you know:
- Takes any opioids, whether prescribed to you or to someone else. This also includes heroin and methadone.
- Takes opioids with alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy, like benzodiazepines ("benzos," Xanax, Valium, or Klonopin).
- Uses cocaine, meth or other illegal drugs. They could be mixed with unknown amounts of opioids.
- Has a history of substance use.
- Has had an opioid emergency before.
If you accidentally take too much of an opioid, you may not be able to give yourself naloxone. Make sure that your family and friends know you have a kit. Tell them how and when to use it.
Being prepared to use a naloxone rescue kit
Naloxone is used when a person shows signs of an opioid overdose. A person may have overdosed if they have:
- Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing.
- Pinpoint pupils.
- Blue or purple lips or fingertips.
- No response when you ask questions. If this happens, gently shake the person or rub their breastbone with your knuckles.
If someone appears to have overdosed, call 911. A drug overdose is an emergency.
Here are some ways you can be prepared to use a naloxone rescue kit.
- Read and carefully follow the directions in the kit on how to give naloxone.
If you think you or someone else may have overdosed but you're not sure, it's okay to use the kit anyway.
- Make sure your friends and family know how and when to use naloxone.
If you overdose, you may not be able to give yourself the medicine.
- Make sure your family and friends know about these signs of an overdose.
- Keep your rescue kit with you always.
You never know when you might need it.
Always go to the emergency room after using naloxone.
Doctors will want to make sure the overdose has been reversed.
©2011-2025 Healthwise, Incorporated