Narcan (Naloxone Injection)

Generic name: Naloxone
Drug class: Antidotes

Usage of Narcan (Naloxone Injection)

Naloxone injection is used for emergency treatment of an opioid overdose or a possible overdose. It will temporarily reverse the effects of an opioid medicine. Some signs and symptoms of an opioid emergency are breathing problems (which can range from slow or shallow breathing to no breathing), extreme sleepiness, slow heartbeat, or not being able to respond, a very small (pinpoint) pupil in a person who is difficult to awaken.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Narcan (Naloxone Injection) side effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

Agitation

body aches

chest pain

coughing that sometimes produces a pink frothy sputum

crying more than the usual (in babies)

diarrhea

difficult or trouble breathing

excessive crying

fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse

fever

goosebumps

increased or excessive unconscious or jerking movements

irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing

irritability

nausea or vomiting

nervousness

pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin

restlessness

runny nose

seizures

shivering

sneezing

sweating

swelling in the legs and ankles

trembling

weakness

yawning

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Narcan (Naloxone Injection)

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic Reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of naloxone injection in children.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of naloxone injection in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more likely to have age-related kidney, liver, or heart problems, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving naloxone injection.

Breast Feeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Morphine

Morphine Sulfate Liposome

Naldemedine

Naloxegol

Oxycodone

Oxymorphone

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

Clonidine

Yohimbine

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Relate drugs

How to use Narcan (Naloxone Injection)

A home health caregiver or a family member will give you or your child this medicine. It is given as a shot under your skin or into a muscle.

This medicine should be given immediately upon when a suspected or known overdose of an opioid has occurred. This will help prevent serious breathing problems and severe sleepiness that can lead to death.

This medicine comes with patient instructions and a training device. Let your home health caregiver or family member read and follow the directions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

To use:

Evzio® is available in 2 dosage strengths: 0.4 milligram (mg)/0.4 milliliter (mL) autoinjector or 2 mg/0.4 mL autoinjector. Zimhi™ is available in 5 mg/0.5 mL prefilled syringe.

It contains printed instructions on the device label. Evzio® also contains a speaker that provides electronic instructions which guides the user through each step of the injection.

Inject the medicine into the outer thighs, through clothing, if needed. If you are giving this medicine to a child younger than 1 year of age, you should pinch the thigh muscle while giving the medicine.

Do not use the medicine if it is cloudy, discolored, or has large particles in it.

This medicine can only be used one time. Do not remove the safety guard until you are ready to use it.

After giving the first dose to the patient, get emergency medical help right away.

Closely watch the patient for signs and symptoms of opioid emergency may return after several minutes.

Give a new naloxone injection every 2 to 3 minutes if symptoms returned and monitor the patient until emergency medical assistance becomes available.

Dosing

The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The amount of medicine that you take Depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.

For opioid overdose:

For injection dosage form (Evzio® autoinjector):

Adults and children—0.4 or 2 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin or into a muscle.

For injection dosage form (Zimhi™ prefilled syringe):

Adults and children—5 milligrams (mg) injected under the skin or into a muscle.

Storage

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing.

Keep out of the reach of children.

Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed.

Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use.

Warnings

The effects of the opioid medicine may last longer than the effects of the naloxone. This means the breathing problems and sleepiness could come back. Always call for emergency help after the first dose of naloxone.

Severe opioid withdrawal symptoms may happen suddenly after receiving this medicine. These include body aches, a fever, sweating, runny nose, sneezing, goose bumps, yawning, weakness, shivering or trembling, nervousness, restlessness or irritability, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, stomach cramps, fast heartbeat, and increased blood pressure.

Some types of opioid medicines (eg, Buprenorphine, Pentazocine) may require larger or repeat doses of naloxone to reverse the opioid effects.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.