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What is known and objective Food and Drug Administration (FDA) risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMs) encourage emergency responders, paramedics, law enforcement agents, and even laypeople to be trained in the administration of naloxone with the intent of rescuing individuals from a known or suspected opioid overdose. Comment Although naloxone is generally safe and effective at reversing respiratory depression caused by a conventional opioid such as morphine or heroin by competing with the opioid and displacing it from the μ-opioid receptor, questions increasingly are arising as to whether naloxone can adequately reverse opioid overdoses that may involve the potent opioids fentanyl and its analogues (F/FAs). In other words, as more and more opioid overdoses involve F/FAs, can naloxone keep up? What is new and conclusion As a competitive antagonist at μ-opioid receptors, naloxone is often a life-saving agent in cases of overdose caused by conventional opioids, but it may not be versatile or powerful enough to combat the rising tide of overdoses due to fentanyl and its illicit analogues, or in cases of overdose involving combinations of opioids and non-opioids.

AIM: This study aimed to compare the effect of Dexmedetomidine and fentanyl as an adjuvant to lidocaine 5% in spinal anaesthesia to increase post-operative analgesia among women candidates for elective caesarean. METHODS: Eighty-four pregnant women candidates for caesarian were randomly divided into fentanyl and Dexmedetomidine groups. In the first group, 25 μg fentanyl was added to lidocaine 5% while in the second group, 0.5 μg per kilogram Dexmedetomidine was added to lidocaine 5%. After the operation, a pain score of the patients in recovery and within 4, 12 and 24 hours after the operation, the average length of analgesia and the average amount of the analgesics taken within 24 hours and after the operation were recorded. RESULTS: The average length of postoperative anaesthesia and the average amount of the drug taken within the first 24 hours after the operation in fentanyl group was more than the Dexmedetomidine group (P = 0.01). Shivering in Dexmedetomidine group was more common than what was observed in the fentanyl group (P = 0.001). Higher rates of nausea-vomiting were observed in the fentanyl group (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Fentanyl results in a longer period of postoperative analgesia and less consumption of drugs after the operation. Fentanyl is recommended in caesarian.

Background: The low-dose ropivacaine provides differential spinal block to reduce adverse hemodynamic effects in elderly patients. Addition of intrathecal fentanyl with ropivacaine may enhance analgesia and early postoperative mobility. The present study was performed to evaluate the efficacy of intrathecal ropivacaine alone and in combination with fentanyl in transurethral resection operation. Methods: Sixty male patients aged >50 years of ASA I-III scheduled for elective transurethral resection were included in a prospective, randomized, double-blinded study and they were divided in two groups of 30 each. Group A (n = 30) received intrathecal injection of ropivacaine 2 ml (0.75%) and Group B (n = 30) ropivacaine 1.8 ml (0.75%) with fentanyl 10 μg. The characteristics of onset and regression of sensory and motor blockade, hemodynamic stability, and side effects were observed. Student's t test (for parametric data) and Mann-Whitney U test (for non-parametric data) were used for statistical analyses. Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups for patient demographic data, intraoperative hemodynamic parameters, side effects, and satisfaction to patients and surgeon. The highest level of sensory block was at T10 in group A and T9 in group B (P = 0.001). Duration of motor block was longer in group B being 210.51 ± 61.25 min than in group A being 286.25 ± 55.65 min (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The addition of fentanyl to ropivacaine may offer the advantage of shorter duration of complete motor block, hemodynamic stability, and without any increase in the frequency of major side effects.