A 50-year-old man is brought to the emergency depament by ambulance. His respirations are shallow and infrequent, his pupils are constricted, and he is stuporous. He was noted to have suffered a grand mal seizure in the ambulance. Which drug is this man likely to have overdosed on?
High-Yield Explanation
a. Severe opiate intoxication is associated with respiratory depression, stupor or coma, and sometimes pulmonary edema. b. Less severe intoxication is associated with slurred speech, drowsiness, and impaired memory or attention. Early on, the pupils are constricted, but they dilate if the patient becomes anoxic due to the respiratory depression.