Question:easy

What is the specific antidote used in acute opioid (e.g. heroin, morphine) poisoning?

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Pinpoint pupils + slow breathing - reverse with the opioid-receptor blocker.
Updated On: Jun 25, 2026
  • Naloxone
  • Flumazenil
  • Atropine
  • N-acetylcysteine
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

The classic emergency in opioid overdose is failing respiration with pinpoint pupils and depressed consciousness. The drug that reverses this is naloxone.

Mechanism:
$\text{Naloxone} \dashv \mu\text{-opioid receptor (competitive antagonist)}$

By displacing the opioid agonist from $\mu$ receptors, naloxone restores the respiratory drive within minutes when given intravenously, intramuscularly or intranasally. A key caution is its short half-life relative to many opioids, so the patient can re-sedate (“renarcotisation”) and may need repeat boluses or a continuous infusion, especially with methadone or extended-release formulations.

Antidote pairings to keep straight:
$\text{Benzodiazepines} \rightarrow \text{Flumazenil}$
$\text{Organophosphates} \rightarrow \text{Atropine (+ pralidoxime)}$
$\text{Paracetamol} \rightarrow \text{N-acetylcysteine}$

Only naloxone targets the opioid receptor, so it is the correct choice for opioid poisoning.

\[\boxed{\text{Opioid antidote} = \text{Naloxone}}\]
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