Naloxone is a medication used to reverse the effects of an overdose from heroin and some types of painkillers. Naloxone is also known by the brand name Narcan. It is by shot or nasal spray.

Naloxone blocks the effects of drugs made from opium, or opioids. These include:

• heroin

• morphine

• oxycodone

• methadone

• fentanyl

• hydrocodone

• codeine

Opioids slow your breathing. If you take too much of an opioid, your breathing may stop and you could die. If given soon enough, naloxone can counter the overdose effects, usually within minutes. However, the medication only pauses the effects of opioids, and emergency medical help is still required.

Please note that naloxone will not provide medical rescue help to someone passed out or overdosing from a non-opioid substance, such as alcohol or Xanax. Though naloxone will not help them, it also will not harm them.

Opioid Overdose

A person who has overdosed from opioids may:

• be breathing very slow or not breathing

• have blue or purplish lips or fingernails

• be limp

• be vomiting or gurgling

• not wake up or respond if you try to rouse him

If a person shows signs of an opioid overdose:

• Call 911 immediately.

• Begin rescue breathing, if the person isn’t taking in air.

• Give the person naloxone.

Resources

Get Naloxone Now
Harm Reduction Coalition – Overdose Prevention
SAMSHA - substance abuse and mental health services administration - Naloxone

Content adapted from WebMD

Courtesy of University Health Services, The University of Texas at Austin.
Published by the University of Texas at Austin University Health Services.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information is intended to inform and educate and is not a replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.
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