[Naloxone and clinical anesthesia]

The narcotic-antagonist properties of naloxone make it useful in cases of postoperative respiratory depression arising after morphine, the various forms of LAN, or extra- and subdural anaesthesia with narcotics. The dose should be adapted to the individual patient, since the drug has certain drawbacks (heart rate disturbances, hypertension crises). The following guidelines are suggested: 1) administration of 0.1 mg increments i.v. until autonomous breathing is restored; 2) administration of 50% of the initial dose i.m. afer 30'; 3) keep the patient under observation for at least 4-6 hr from the end of the operation.