About naloxone

Naloxone is a prescription medicine that can temporarily reverse the effects of opioids.

Opioids slow down messages between your brain and body. They include heroin, morphine, codeine, methadone, nitazenes and fentanyl.

Naloxone is used to treat an opioid overdose. An opioid overdose is when someone has too much of an opioid or combination of opioids in their system. The opioids slow down the person's breathing or stop them from breathing.

Naloxone can keep the person alive until an ambulance arrives.

Types of naloxone

Naloxone can come as an injection or a nasal spray. They come with instructions on how to use them.

Naloxone is also used in some combination medicines.

Naloxone injection

The naloxone injection comes in a box with:

• a syringe filled with 5 doses of naloxone - each dose is 0.4mg
• 2 needles

The brand name is Prenoxad. It is also called intramuscular naloxone.

You inject the naloxone into the muscle of the outer thigh.

Using a naloxone injection

Naloxone nasal spray

The naloxone nasal spray comes in a box with 2 sprays.

The brand names are:

• Nyxoid - contains 1.8mg of naloxone per dose
• Ventizolve - contains 1.26mg of naloxone per dose

It is also called intranasal naloxone. You spray the naloxone into the person's nose.

Using a naloxone nasal spray

When to use naloxone

Use naloxone if someone shows signs of an opioid overdose.

Naloxone does not work for other types of drugs. But it is safe to use naloxone even if you are not sure.

Effects of naloxone

Naloxone has no effect if you do not have opioids in your system.

Naloxone attaches to opioid receptors in your brain. If you have opioids in your system, the opioids stop working. Your breathing returns to normal and you may wake up.

You may also get opioid withdrawal symptoms, such as:

• muscle aches and spasms
• tremor
• diarrhoea
• sweating and chills
• nausea and vomiting
• mood swings

The effects of naloxone last from 20 to 90 minutes. If you still have opioids in your system after that time, you may be at risk of another overdose.

It is important to accept medical help after using naloxone and give any medical information. For example, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Mixing naloxone with alcohol or other drugs

Naloxone is safe to take with other medicines.

But naloxone only works with an opioid overdose. It does not work if an overdose is caused by alcohol or other types of drugs.

If you are worried about opioid use

If you are worried about your own or someone else’s use, you can get support. This can be when opioid use affects your health, relationships, work or other areas of your life.

You can contact a drug service even if you are not sure that you want to change your drug use. They can help you find ways to reduce your risk of harm.

Getting help for drug use

If you are worried about someone else