Opioid overdose: not responsive & not breathing?

• A. If unresponsive but breathing, give naloxone if trained
• B. Begin CPR
• C. Have someone call EMS and get AED
• D. Ensure that the person receives professional medical care

Answer: (B)

When a person is unresponsive and not breathing, the immediate need is to restore circulation and oxygen delivery. Starting CPR right away keeps blood flowing to the brain and other organs, buying time while help is on the way. In opioid overdose, the breathing can stop due to the drug’s effects, so ventilating is crucial, and CPR provides those rescue breaths along with chest compressions to maintain circulation. Naloxone can reverse the overdose, but it may take time to administer and to take effect, whereas CPR immediately addresses the life-threatening lack of oxygen. If you’re trained, give rescue breaths in between compressions (30 compressions to 2 breaths); if you’re not trained, perform chest-compression-only CPR and call EMS immediately. Continue until EMS arrives or an AED is available to use.