Combined Alcohol and Opioid Use Increases Respiratory Failure

According to a recent study, respiratory depression caused by opioid use is intensified by alcohol intake in both young and older patients.

The study included 12 participants between 21 and 28 years old and 12 elderly participants between 66 and 77 years old who had never taken opioids, or were not currently taking opioids. Participants consumed a 20-mg oxycodone tablet with an intravenous infusion of 0, 0.5, and 1 g/l ethanol. Respiratory variables, and minute ventilation at isohypercapnia (VE55) were obtained regularly throughout the trial.
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According to their results, oxycodone reduced baseline minute ventilation by 28%, and the addition of 1 g/l ethanol decreased respiratory depression by another 19%.

“Ethanol combined with oxycodone caused a significant increase in the number of apneic events measured in a 6-min window with a median increase from 1 (0 to 3) at 0 g/l ethanol to 1 (0 to 11) at 1 g/l ethanol (P < 0.01),” the researchers wrote.

Overall, their study suggested that the consumption of both alcohol and opioids increased respiratory depression across all ages groups, with elderly individuals the most effected by the side-effect.

—Melissa Weiss

Reference:

van der Schrier R, Roozekrans M, Olofsen E, et al. Influence of ethanol on oxycodone-induced respiratory depression: a dose-escalating study in young and elderly individuals [published online February 7, 2017]. Pain Medicine. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000001505.