Do you prescribe opioids? Consider also prescribing naloxone

Take home naloxone has been found to save an average of three lives a day, according to a recent study undertaken by The University of Queensland.

Take home naloxone, which is PBS listed, is for people at risk of experiencing or witnessing an opioid overdose or adverse reaction. The study also indicated that take home naloxone was used at least 1649 times to reverse an overdose.

To maximise participation during this study, naloxone was provided free of charge to patients and was available over the counter without requiring a prescription. Naloxone is provided as a schedule 4 medication via medical practitioners or Schedule 3 from pharmacy. It is now also available in a nasal spray.

Circumstances where you might consider prescribing naloxone include:

• morphine equivalent doses of > 100mg per day (approx. 300-350mg/day Tepentadol, 60-70md/day Oxycodone) administration of opioids with other sedating medications such as benzodiazepines and/or gabapentinoids
• opioids with other sedating agents such as co-morbid alcohol use disorder
• known opioid substance use disorder or a discussion if suspected
• when undertaking a patient’s yearly pain management review as required by PBS
• past history of medication overdose
• when flagged as Amber or Red Alert with Qscript when doing pre-prescription check.

To calculate a patient’s morphine equivalent dose consider using Opioid Calculator - Opioid Preferences

For patient/rescuer information download the naloxone fact sheet.

Read more about the take home naloxone pilot