Naloxone

Naloxone is a medication that rapidly reverses opioid effects by blocking opioid receptors, especially restoring breathing during opioid overdose.

Opioid receptor: A cell-surface receptor activated by opioid drugs and endogenous opioid peptides. Naloxone reverses opioid effects by competing at these receptors.
Opioid overdose: A toxic reaction to opioids that can cause unconsciousness, dangerously slowed breathing, and death. Naloxone is administered when overdose is suspected, alongside emergency response.
Naltrexone: A long-acting opioid receptor antagonist used to treat opioid and alcohol use disorders. Unlike naloxone’s short-acting emergency use, naltrexone is used for ongoing treatment.
Standing order: A medical directive that authorizes specified care for eligible people without an individual prescription. Standing orders have enabled broader naloxone access in many jurisdictions.
Jack Fishman: A pharmacologist whose work contributed to the development of naloxone and other opioid antagonists. Fishman helped develop naloxone as a practical opioid antagonist.
Competitive antagonist: A substance that blocks a receptor by competing with an agonist for its binding site. Naloxone displaces opioids from receptor sites without activating them.
Intranasal naloxone: A naloxone formulation delivered as a spray into the nose. Its ready-to-use device makes naloxone practical for community overdose response.
Nalmefene: An opioid receptor antagonist available in formulations for reversing opioid overdose. It is a longer-acting alternative to naloxone in some overdose-response settings.
Good Samaritan law: A law that limits certain liabilities for people who assist someone in an emergency. Overdose-related protections can encourage people to call for help and use naloxone.
Mozes J. Lewenstein: A pharmacologist associated with the discovery and development of naloxone. Lewenstein’s work helped bring the antagonist from research toward medical use.

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