Naloxone: What is the Best Way to Deliver?

New research led by a team from Binghamton University, State University at New York, concludes that single-step nasal spray delivery of naloxone is the easiest and most successful route of administration for members of the general community. Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan®, can be delivered by several means, and has been identified as a critical intervention in the prevention of death from opioid overdose. William Eggleston, PharmD, clinical assistant professor at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at Binghamton University, led the inquiry into how readily naloxone could be administered by the general community following basic video training. “I’m studying things like which type of naloxone should we give to members of the community, and what is the best way to distribute that naloxone,” Dr Eggleston remarked. “With training, nasal sprays in general had a higher degree of success than the shot. Even if it seemed to us it was a no-brainer that we should be using nasal sprays, we had no data before, so now we have some to support that.”

The study was undertaken in collaboration with SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse. 138 adults who had no prior experience with naloxone were shown a 2-minute video demonstrating correct administration via 1 of 3 methods, 2 involving nasal sprays and 1 intramuscular. Subjects were randomized as to which video they saw. They were then asked to administer the naloxone according to the method they were trained on. Participants were able to deliver single-step naloxone faster and more successfully than either a multistep atomized spray or via intramuscular route. The findings were published earlier this month in the journal Addiction.

Read about the study conclusions.

The study abstract may be read here.

Other Categories:

• addiction

• misuse

• opioids