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Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
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Open Access 01-12-2017 | Review

Opioid overdose prevention and naloxone rescue kits: what we know and what we don’t know

Authors: Todd Kerensky, Alexander Y. Walley

Published in: Addiction Science & Clinical Practice | Issue 1/2017

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Abstract

The opioid use and overdose crisis is persistent and dynamic. Opioid overdoses were initially driven in the 1990s and 2000s by the increasing availability and misuse of prescription opioids. More recently, opioid overdoses are increasing at alarming rates due to wider use of heroin, which in some places is mixed with fentanyl or fentanyl derivatives. Naloxone access for opioid overdose rescue is one of the US Department of Health and Human Services’ three priority areas for responding to the opioid crisis. This article summarizes the known benefits of naloxone access and details unanswered questions about overdose education and naloxone rescue kits. Hopefully future research will address these knowledge gaps, improve the effectiveness of opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution programs, and unlock the full promise of naloxone rescue kits.
Footnotes
1
Nasal naloxone delivered via syringe and nasal atomizer as 2 mg/2 ml is not FDA approved.
 
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Metadata
Title
Opioid overdose prevention and naloxone rescue kits: what we know and what we don’t know
Authors
Todd Kerensky
Alexander Y. Walley
Publication date
01-12-2017
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice / Issue 1/2017
Electronic ISSN: 1940-0640
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-016-0068-3

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