ARDS + narcotic overdose

[RoyalNurse]

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know how an opiod overdose can cause ARDS? I know ARDS comes from alveolar injury, and fluid getting into the gas-permeable-only membrane, but how does an overdose and subsequent respiratory depression cause the alveolar injury?

Thanks in advance for any responses! :)

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

Off the top of my head, I'd imagine an opiate overdose would/could lead to failure to protect the airway and therefore an aspiration which could lead to aspiration pneumonia/ARDS.

[joeyzstj, LPN]

I found somthing mentioning that in opiate overdose, due to CO2 narcosis, the pulmonary capillaries have a membrane leak which would introduce all types of foreign objects into the alveoli. Im not quite sure if this is why, however it makes sense.

[RoyalNurse]

Sorry if this is dumb, but CO2 narcosis is caused from CO2 retention that ends up killing tissues, then causes the pulmonary capillary leak?

That does make sense, as does the aspiration pneumonia.

Thanks again

[ghillbert, MSN, NP]

I found somthing mentioning that in opiate overdose, due to CO2 narcosis, the pulmonary capillaries have a membrane leak which would introduce all types of foreign objects into the alveoli. Im not quite sure if this is why, however it makes sense.

Do you have a reference for this info?

[joeyzstj, LPN]

Do you have a reference for this info?

I searched in "Up to date" and found an article after about 30 minutes of searching that mentioned it, however the main point of the article wasnt directed at this. Ill see if I can dig it up again.