Naloxone: a potent ketobemidone antagonist in man

Naloxone has been accepted as a potent antagonist towards several narcotic analgesics, e.g. morphine, heroin and pethidin. Its effect as an antagonist and its potency against ketobemidone have not been tested in man. We have described the antagonistic effect of naloxone towards the respiratory depression caused by the administration of ketobemidone to patients anesthetized with N2O/O2 and methohexitone.