Treating Non-fentanyl-derived Synthetic Opioid Overdose with a Traditional Opioid Reversal Agent

As the opioid crisis in the United States continues to grow, non-fentanyl-derived synthetic opioids (NSOs) are growing in both availability and popularity. NSO use comes with considerable risk including a high potential for both abuse and overdose. In this editorial, we review the consequences of overdose with the NSOs U-47700 and butyrfentanyl (BF) and the potential for the use of naloxone as a treatment for such instances. Naloxone administration was found to be successful in reversing opioid effects and re-establishing independent breathing in a patient taking U-47700 or BF. With a high rate of success in treating opioid overdose and a low chance of negatively affecting healthy non-dependent persons, naloxone is an ideal medication in these situations. We recommend the use of naloxone in cases of NSO opioid overdose and advocate for the increased availability of naloxone products to improve overdose outcomes nationwide.