Pharmacology related question about opioid overdose?

[amphetameme]

I'm just wondering; in the case of overdoses on opioids with very high mu-opioid receptor affinity (like <1nm) is naloxone at all effective at reversing overdose, is it dose-dependent or unable to compete for the binding sites at all? I'm not completely clear on how this works. I've also found a lot of conflicting information on this. Thank you for your help.

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

Naloxone's affinity is supposedly .559 so it can displace almost anything except ones like carfentanyl, etorphine, etc. It can reverse any narcotic on the market you can get your hands on unless it is some unregulated, super potent, dangerous RC opioid that you shouldn't be using.

If its binding affinity is >.5 then naloxone can not reverse it and you die.

If you are saying this because you have a narcotic such as this on this on hand, I would suggest you get rid of it and not use it, because if you overdose, the paramedics can not resuscitate you and you will not make it to the hospital.

These drugs are for animal anesthesia, nothing else.

 

[amphetameme]

Nope, just curious, and thank you! Isn't hydromorphone >.5 though? I'm pretty sure they successfully reversed it when I overdosed, considering that I'm still alive.

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

Just low enough. 0.6nM

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1851921

I'm glad you lived. Stay safe.

 

[amphetameme]

Thanks! I am too now, despite the fact that it was intentional at the time. I actually barely use opiates anymore, and I'm not planning on trying any elephant tranquilizers