Narcan effects

[nacran]

Can anyone tell me if they have any experience with an alcoholic having a withdrawal after having narcan administered? He was unconscious from drinking too much- the paramedics thought that he was overdosed and gave him narcan and he had violent reaction fought with paramedics. . police charged him with assault. . . violence is a reaction of narcan-- does anyone know if the same side effects could happen to a person addicted to alcohol instead of narcotics?

[babynurselsa, RN]

I would have to venture that he had something on board besides just ETOH. If her responded to the narcan.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Narcan does not reverse the effects of ETOH, only narcotics. So...I would also have to hazard a guess that he had something else on board. As to the assault charges....I have no pity for him. In IL - it is a felony to touch a healthcare worker.

I also do want to add that All Nurses can not provide legal or medical advice as I notice this is your first post and your user name is narcan misspelled.

[nacran]

Actually it is narcan spelled backwards. . .they said to use something you would remember. I would agree that you should have no pity on him- except for the fact that there is a possibility that his reaction was caused by what was injected into him by the paramedics- there were no narcotics found in his system. . . just wanted to get other experiences. . .. the research on this issue is scarce.

[traumaRUs, MSN, APRN]

Okay - I was able to find the following general guidelines for narcan use and side effects:

http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/profs/Datasheet/n/NarcanAndNeonatalinj.htm

It also lowers the seizure threshold so if you have a pt with a sz disorder, strong caution is advised.

[ERNP]

Also remember, in most places a drug screen is just that a screen. Doesn't mean there wasn't something else in the system. Drug screen routinely only test for a limited number of variables. Again, making it possible that something other than alcohol was on board.