What is a potential risk when administering opioid antagonists to dependent patients?

What is a potential risk when administering opioid antagonists to dependent patients?

• A. Acute pulmonary edema.
• B. Seizures.
• C. Cardiac arrest.
• D. Acute withdrawal.

Answer: (D)

Administering an opioid antagonist to someone who is opioid-dependent can precipitate acute withdrawal because the antagonist rapidly displaces opioids from mu receptors. In dependence, the body relies on those opioids to function; blocking them suddenly removes their effect, triggering a withdrawal syndrome with symptoms like agitation, sweating, yawning, rhinorrhea, muscle aches, pupil dilation, tachycardia, hypertension, and GI upset. This is the main risk to anticipate, especially when using a full antagonist dose; titrating the dose to minimize abrupt blockade can reduce the likelihood and severity of withdrawal. Other options—such as acute pulmonary edema, seizures, or cardiac arrest—aren’t the typical direct consequence of antagonist administration in a dependent patient, whereas acute withdrawal is the expected risk.

Administering an opioid antagonist to someone who is opioid-dependent can precipitate acute withdrawal because the antagonist rapidly displaces opioids from mu receptors. In dependence, the body relies on those opioids to function; blocking them suddenly removes their effect, triggering a withdrawal syndrome with symptoms like agitation, sweating, yawning, rhinorrhea, muscle aches, pupil dilation, tachycardia, hypertension, and GI upset. This is the main risk to anticipate, especially when using a full antagonist dose; titrating the dose to minimize abrupt blockade can reduce the likelihood and severity of withdrawal. Other options—such as acute pulmonary edema, seizures, or cardiac arrest—aren’t the typical direct consequence of antagonist administration in a dependent patient, whereas acute withdrawal is the expected risk.