What is a common effect of opioids that is addressed by using naloxone during an overdose?

Respiratory depression is a well-acknowledged effect of opioid use, which can become life-threatening during an overdose. Opioids work by binding to specific receptors in the brain and spinal cord, leading to decreased respiratory drive. This can result in inadequate ventilation and ultimately, respiratory failure.

Naloxone is an opioid antagonist used in clinical practice to reverse the effects of opioid overdose. By displacing opioids from the receptors in the central nervous system, naloxone rapidly restores normal respiratory function, allowing the individual to breathe adequately again. This is particularly crucial in overdose situations where respiratory depression can lead to hypoxia and death if not promptly addressed.

In contrast, options such as increased appetite, euphoria, and muscle relaxation are effects associated with opioids but do not pose the same immediate life-threatening risk during an overdose, which is why naloxone’s primary purpose is to counteract respiratory depression.