If a person is experiencing an opioid overdose and is unresponsive and not breathing, what should you do first?

In the case of a suspected opioid overdose, the first action to take is to administer naloxone if available. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose by displacing the opioid from the receptors in the brain. It’s critical to act quickly since an opioid overdose can lead to respiratory failure and death.

While CPR is important for someone who is unresponsive and not breathing, it should not be the immediate first step without attempting to reverse the overdose. Naloxone can restore breathing within minutes and, if effective, may prevent the need for CPR altogether.

Waiting for emergency services may delay vital treatment, as the effects of an overdose can quickly worsen. Shaking the person to wake them up is not effective in opioid overdoses and can waste valuable time. Therefore, administering naloxone first is the appropriate action to take in this emergency situation.