Too tired at end of my shift. Explain to me like I’m a med student pharmacologically how clonidine is helpful for opiate withdrawal and why narcan is helpful for clonidine OD especially in kids. Thanks.

Well lucky for you (not really), I asked AI and got this (non) answer:

Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a medication used to reverse the effects of opioids, which can slow down breathing and potentially lead to overdose. Clonidine, on the other hand, is a medication used to treat high blood pressure and ADHD, among other conditions.

Although clonidine is not an opioid, it can still affect the body in ways that may lead to overdose. Clonidine can cause a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, which can be dangerous in high doses. Narcan can potentially reverse the effects of clonidine overdose by blocking the same receptors in the brain that clonidine affects.

However, it's important to note that not all patients will respond to Narcan in the same way. This is because different people may have different levels of clonidine in their system, or may be experiencing different symptoms of overdose. Additionally, Narcan may not be effective in reversing the effects of other substances that may have been taken along with clonidine.

Overall, the effectiveness of Narcan in reversing a clonidine overdose will depend on a variety of factors, and should be determined by a medical professional.

/r/emergencymedicine Thread Parent