A person who has taken a large dose of an opiate may develop noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. The precise mechanism is uncertain but may be neurogenic.
Clinical findings:
(1) recent intake of a large dose of heroin, oxycodone or other opiate (often after just a few hours)
(2) onset of pulmonary edema with hypoxemia and respiratory distress
(3) absence of cardiac failure (cardiogenic pulmonary edema)
(4) exclusion of other causes of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema
Some patients improve within 24 hours on their own, while others may require therapy such as naloxone.
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Specialty: Toxicology, Emergency Medicine, Critical Care
ICD-10: ,
