Can patients with suspected opioid overdose be safely discharged 1-hour after naloxone administration?

BEEM Bottom Line

Why is this study important?

Determining the minimum observation time following naloxone treated opioid intoxication would allow safe discharge of low risk patients earlier. Naloxone is an opioid-antagonist that has been effectively used to treat opioid toxicity. The 60–90 minutes elimination half-life of naloxone is shorter than most opioids, especially in supratherapeutic or overdose (OD) situations.[1] This trial attempts to validate the St. Paul’s Early Discharge Rule, a clinical predication rule developed to identify patients with presumed opioid OD who could be safely discharged 1 hour after naloxone administration.[2]

Which, if any, threats to validity are most likely to have an impact on the results and how?

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