Annals of emergency medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Double-blind, randomized study of nalmefene and naloxone in emergency department patients with suspected narcotic overdose.
To compare the efficacy, safety, and withdrawal symptoms in emergency department patients with suspected narcotic overdose treated with nalmefene, an opioid antagonist with a 4- to 10-hour duration of action, with those treated with naloxone. ⋯ In this study of patients with varied potential causes of altered consciousness, nalmefene (1 mg and 2 mg) and naloxone (2 mg) appeared to be efficacious, safe, and to yield similar clinical outcomes.