Intranasal Naloxone Reversal of Opioid-induced Respiratory Depression in Opioid-naive Individuals and Self-reported Daily Opioid Users.

Anesthesiology·May 1, 2026·PMID 41642634

Why it matters

For clinicians counseling patients or designing overdose response plans, this study supports that standard intranasal naloxone can work quickly against fentanyl-class respiratory depression, but a single dose may not fully normalize ventilation markers, particularly with higher-affinity opioids. That reinforces the need for repeat dosing readiness and continued monitoring after apparent initial recovery.