Duramorph Drug Information

Important Dosage and

Administration Instructions Do Not Use DURAMORPH in Continuous Microinfusion Devices. DURAMORPH should be administered by or under the direction of a physician experienced in the techniques of epidural or intrathecal administration and familiar with the patient management problems associated with epidural or intrathecal drug administration and the labeling, and should take place only in settings where adequate patient monitoring is possible. DURAMORPHshouldbeprescribedonlybyhealthcareprofessionalswhoareknowledgeable about the use of opioids and how to mitigate the associated risks.

Because of the risk of delayed respiratory depression, patients should be observed in a fully equipped and staffed environment for at least 24 hours. Respiratory depression (both early and late onset)hasoccurredmorefrequentlyfollowingintrathecaladministrationthanepidural administration. Becauseepiduraladministrationhasbeenassociatedwithlesspotentialforimmediateorlate adverse effects than intrathecal administration, the epidural route should be used whenever possible.

Forsafetyreasons,itisrecommendedthatadministrationofDURAMORPHbytheepiduralor intrathecal routes be limited to the lumbar area. Have resuscitative equipment and an opioid overdose reversal agent (e.g., naloxone, nalmefene) immediately available for the management of respiratory depression as well as complicationswhichmightresultfrominadvertentintrathecalorintravascularinjection(note: intrathecal dosage is usually 1/10 that of epidural dosage). Epidural Administration Verify proper placement of a needle or catheter in the epidural space before DURAMORPH is injected. Acceptable techniques for verifying proper placement include: a) aspiration to check for absence of blood or cerebrospinal fluid, or b) administration of 5 mL (3 mL in obstetric patients) of 1.5% PRESERVATIVE-FREE Lidocaine and Epinephrine (1:200,000) Injection and then observe the patient for lack of tachycardia (this indicates that vascular injection has not been made) and lack of sudden onset of segmental anesthesia (this indicates that intrathecal injection has not been made). Safety and Handling Instructions: DURAMORPH is supplied in sealed ampuls.

Accidental dermal exposure should be treated by the removal of any contaminated clothing and rinsing the affected area with water. Inspect parenteral drug products for particulate matter and discoloration prior to administration, whenever solution and container permit. Do not use if color is darker than pale yellow, if it is discolored in any other way, or if it contains a precipitate.

DURAMORPH is intended for single use only. Protect from light, discard any unused portion. Do not heat-sterilize.

Initial Dosage

The starting dose of DURAMORPH must be individualized. Use the lowest effective dosage for the shortest duration of time consistent with individual patient treatment goals . Because the risk of overdose increases as opioid doses increase, reserve titration to higher doses of DURAMORPH for patients in whom lower doses are insufficiently effective and in whom the expected benefits of using a higher dose opioid clearly outweigh the substantial risks. Many acute pain conditions (e.g., the pain that occurs with a number of surgical procedures or acute musculoskeletal injuries) require no more than a few days of an opioid analgesic.

Clinical guidelines on opioid prescribing for some acute pain conditions are available. There is variability in the opioid analgesic dose and duration needed to adequately manage pain due both to the cause of pain and to individual patient factors. Initiate the dosing regimen for each patient individually, taking into account the patient’s underlying cause and severity of pain, prior analgesic treatment and response, and risk factors for addiction, abuse, and misuse.

Respiratory depression can occur at any time during opioid therapy, especially when initiating and following dosage increases with DURAMORPH. Consider this risk when selecting an initial dose and when making dose adjustments .

Dosage for Intravenous

Administration Adult Dosage : The initial dose of morphine should be 2 mg to 10 mg/70 kg of body weight, and at the lowest dose necessary to achieve adequate analgesia. Titrate the dose based upon the individual patient’s response to their initial dose of DURAMORPH

Dosage for Epidural

Administration Adult Dosage: Initial injection of 5 mg in the lumbar region may provide satisfactory pain relief for up to 24 hours. If adequate pain relief is not achieved within one hour, careful administration of incremental doses of 1 to 2 mg at intervals sufficient to assess effectiveness may be given. Do not administer more than 10 mg per 24 hours.

Dosage for Intrathecal

Administration Adult Dosage: Intrathecal dosage is usually 1/10 that of epidural dosage. A single injection of 0.2 to 1 mg may provide satisfactory pain relief for up to 24 hours. (Caution: this is only 0.4 to 2 mL of the 5 mg/10 mL ampul or 0.2 to 1 mL of the 10 mg/10 mL ampul of DURAMORPH). Do not inject intrathecally more than 2 mL of the 5 mg/10 mL ampul or 1 mL of the 10 mg/10 mL ampul. Repeated intrathecal injections of DURAMORPH are not recommended.

If pain recurs, consider alternative routes of administration A constant intravenous infusion of naloxone, 0.6 mg/hr, for 24 hours after intrathecal injection may be used to reduce the incidence of potential side effects.

Safe Reduction and Discontinuation of

DURAMORPH When a patient who has been treated with a regimen of opioid analgesics including DURAMORPH regularly and may be physically dependent or no longer requires therapy with DURAMORPH, taper the dose gradually while monitoring carefully for signs and symptoms of withdrawal. If the patient develops these signs or symptoms, raise the dose to the previous level and taper more slowly, either by increasing the interval between decreases, decreasing the amount of change in dose, or both. Do not rapidly reduce or abruptly discontinue DURAMORPH in patients who may be physically dependant on opioids. .

The following serious adverse reactions are described, or described in greater detail, in other sections: Addiction, Abuse, and Misuse Life-Threatening Respiratory Depression Interactions with Benzodiazepines or Other CNS Depressants Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome Myoclonic Activity Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia and Allodynia Adrenal Insufficiency Severe Hypotension Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions Seizures Withdrawal Urinary Retention Orthostatic Hypotension The following adverse reactions associated with the use of morphine were identified in clinical studies or postmarketing reports. Because some of these reactions were reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure. The most serious adverse reactions encountered during administration of DURAMORPH were respiratory depression and/or respiratory arrest.

Cardiovascular System: While low doses of intravenously administered morphine have little effect on cardiovascular stability, high doses are excitatory, resulting from sympathetic hyperactivity and increase in circulating catecholamines. Central Nervous System: myoclonus, seizures, dysphoric reactions, toxic psychosis, dizziness, euphoria, anxiety, confusion, headache. Lumbar puncture-type headache is encountered in a significant minority of cases for several days following intrathecal catheter implantation and generally responds to bed rest and/or other conventional therapy.

Gastrointestinal System: Nausea, vomiting, constipation Skin: Generalized pruritus, urticaria, wheals, and/or local tissue irritation. Single-dose epidural or intrathecal administration is accompanied by a high incidence of dose-related generalized pruritus. Urinary System: Urinary retention, oliguria.

Peripheral edema: There are several reports of peripheral edema Other: Other adverse reactions reported following morphine therapy include depression of cough reflex, interference with thermal regulation, peripheral edema. Serotonin syndrome: Cases of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition, have been reported during concomitant use of opioids with serotonergic drugs. Adrenal insufficiency: Cases of adrenal insufficiency have been reported with opioid use, more often following greater than one month of use.

Anaphylaxis: Anaphylaxis has been reported with ingredients contained in DURAMORPH. Androgen deficiency : Cases of androgen deficiency have occurred with use of opioids for an extended period of time. . Hyperalgesia and Allodynia: Cases of hyperalgesia and allodynia have been reported with opioid therapy of any duration. Hypoglycemia: Cases of hypoglycemia have been reported in patients taking opioids. Most reports were in patients with at least one predisposing risk factor (e.g., diabetes). Opioid-induced esophageal dysfunction (OIED): Cases of OIED have been reported in patients taking opioids and may occur more frequently in patients taking higher doses of opioids, and/or in patients taking opioids longer term.

Adverse Reactions from Observational Studies A prospective, observational cohort study estimated the risks of addiction, abuse, and misuse in patients initiating long-term use of Schedule II opioid analgesics between 2017 and 2021. Study participants included in one or more analyses had been enrolled in selected insurance plans or health systems for at least one year, were free of at least one outcome at baseline, completed a minimum number of follow-up assessments, and either: 1) filled multiple extended-release/long-acting opioid analgesic prescriptions during a 90-day period (n=978); or 2) filled any Schedule II opioid analgesic prescriptions covering at least 70 of 90 days (n=1,244). Those included also had no dispensing of the qualifying opioids in the previous 6 months. Over 12 months: approximately 1% to 6% of participants across the two cohorts newly met criteria for addiction, as assessed with two validated interview-based measures of moderate-to-severe opioid use disorderbasedonDiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders,FifthEdition(DSM-5) criteria, and approximately9%and22%ofparticipantsacrossthetwocohortsnewlymetcriteriafor prescription opioid abuse and misuse , respectively, as measured with a validated self-reported instrument. A retrospective, observational cohort study estimated the risk of opioidinvolved overdose or opioid overdose-related death in patients with new long-term use of Schedule II opioid analgesics from 2006 through 2016 (n=220,249). Included patients had been enrolled in either one of two commercial insurance programs, one managed care program, or one Medicaid program for at least 9 months.

New long-term use was defined as having Schedule II opioid analgesic prescriptions covering at least 70 days’ supply over the 3 months prior to study entry and none during the preceding 6 months. Patients were excluded if they had an opioid-involved overdose in the 9 months prior to study entry. Overdose was measured using a validated medical code-based algorithm with linkage to the National Death Index database.

The 5-year cumulative incidence estimates for opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death ranged from approximately 1.5% to 4% across study sites, counting only the first event during follow-up. Approximately 17% of first opioid overdoses observed over the entire study period (5-11 years, depending on the study site) were fatal. Higher baseline opioid dose was the strongest and most consistent predictor of opioid-involved overdose or opioid overdose-related death.

Study exclusion criteria may have selected patients at lower risk of overdose, and substantial loss to follow-up (approximately 80%) also may have biased estimates. The risk estimates from the studies described above may not be generalizable to all patients receiving opioid analgesics, such as those with exposures shorter or longer than the duration evaluated in the studies. Most serious adverse reactions were respiratory depression and/or respiratory arrest.

To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact Hikma Pharmaceuticals USA Inc. at 1-877-845-0689 or FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

Table 1 includes clinically significant drug interactions with DURAMORPH. Table 1 Clinically Significant Drug Interactions with DURAMORPH Benzodiazepines and Other Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Clinical Impact: Due to additive pharmacologic effect, the concomitant use of benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants, including alcohol, can increase the risk of hypotension, respiratory depression, profound sedation, coma, and death. The depressant effects of morphine are potentiated by the presence of other CNS depressants. Use of neuroleptics in conjunction with neuraxial morphine may increase the risk of respiratory depression . Intervention: Reserve concomitant prescribing of these drugs for use in patients for whom alternative treatment options are inadequate.

Limit dosages and durations to the minimum required. Monitor closely for signs of respiratory depression and sedation . Examples: Benzodiazepines and other sedatives/hypnotics, anxiolytics, tranquilizers, muscle relaxants, general anesthetics, antipsychotics, psychotropic drugs, antihistamines, neuroleptics, gabapentinoids (gabapentin or pregabalin), other opioids, alcohol. Serotonergic Drugs Clinical Impact: The concomitant use of opioids with other drugs that affect the serotonergic neurotransmitter system has resulted in serotonin syndrome.

Intervention : If concomitant use is warranted, carefully observe the patient, particularly during treatment initiation and dose adjustment. Discontinue DURAMORPH if serotonin syndrome is suspected. Examples: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), triptans, 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, drugs that effect the serotonin neurotransmitter system (e.g., mirtazapine, trazodone, tramadol), certain muscle relaxants (i.e., cyclobenzaprine, metaxalone), monoamine oxidase inhibitors (those intended to treat psychiatric disorders and also others, such as linezolid and intravenous methylene blue). Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) Clinical Impact: MAOI interactions with opioids may manifest as serotonin syndrome or opioid toxicity (e.g., respiratory depression, coma) . Do not use DURAMORPH in patients taking MAOIs or within 14 days of stopping such treatment.

Intervention: If urgent use of an opioid is necessary, use test doses and frequent titration of small doses of other opioids (such as oxycodone, hydromorphone, oxymorphone, hydrocodone, or buprenorphine) to treat pain while closely monitoring blood pressure and signs and symptoms of CNS and respiratory depression. Examples: phenelzine, tranylcypromine, linezolid Mixed Agonist/Antagonist and Partial Agonist Opioid Analgesics Clinical Impact: Clinical Impact: May reduce the analgesic effect of DURAMORPH and/or precipitate withdrawal symptoms. Intervention: Avoid concomitant use.

Examples: Butorphanol, nalbuphine, pentazocine, buprenorphine. Muscle Relaxants Clinical Impact: Morphine may enhance the neuromuscular blocking action of skeletal muscle relaxants and produce an increased degree of respiratory depression. Intervention: Monitor patients for signs of respiratory depression that may be greater than otherwise expected and decrease the dosage of DURAMORPH and/or the muscle relaxant as necessary.

Diuretics Clinical Impact: Opioids can reduce the efficacy of diuretics by inducing the release of antidiuretic hormone. Intervention: Monitor patients for signs of diminished diuresis and/or effects on blood pressure and increase the dosage of the diuretic as needed. Anticholinergic Drugs Clinical Impact: The concomitant use of anticholinergic drugs may increase risk of urinary retention and/or severe constipation, which may lead to paralyticileus.

Intervention: Monitor patients for signs of urinary retention or reduced gastric motility when DURAMORPH is used concomitantly with anticholinergic drugs. Oral P2Y 12 Inhibitors Clinical Impact: The co-administration of oral P2Y 12 inhibitors and intravenous morphine sulfate can decrease the absorption and peak concentration of oral P2Y 12 inhibitors and delay the onset of the antiplatelet effect. Intervention: Consider the use of a parenteral antiplatelet agent in the setting of acute coronary syndrome requiring co-administration of intravenous morphine sulfate.

Examples: clopidogrel, prasugrel, ticagrelor Serotonergic Drugs : Concomitant use may result in serotonin syndrome. Discontinue DURAMORPH if serotonin syndrome is suspected. Mixed Agonist/Antagonist and Partial Agonist Opioid Analgesics : Avoid use with DURAMORPH because they may reduce the analgesic effect of DURAMORPH or precipitate withdrawal symptoms.

Pregnancy Risk Summary Use of opioid analgesics for an extended period of time during pregnancy may cause neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Available data with DURAMORPH in pregnant women are insufficient to inform a drug-associated risk for major birth defects and miscarriage. There are adverse outcomes reported with fetal exposure to opioid analgesics (see Clinical Considerations). Published studies with morphine use during pregnancy have not reported a clear association with morphine and major birth defects.

In published animal reproduction studies, morphine administered subcutaneously during the early gestational period produced neural tube defects (i.e., exencephaly and cranioschisis) at 5 and 16 times the human daily dose of 60 mg based on body surface area (HDD) in hamsters and mice, respectively, lower fetal body weight and increased incidence of abortion at 0.4 times the HDD in the rabbit, growth retardation at 6 times the HDD in the rat, and axial skeletal fusion and cryptorchidism at 16 times the HDD in the mouse. Administration of morphine sulfate to pregnant rats during organogenesis and through lactation resulted in cyanosis, hypothermia, decreased brain weights, pup mortality, decreased pup body weights, and adverse effects on reproductive tissues at 3-4 times the HDD; and long-term neurochemical changes in the brain of offspring which correlate with altered behavioral responses that persist through adulthood at exposures comparable to and less than the HDD. Based on animal data, advise pregnant women of the potential risk to a fetus. The background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage for the indicated population is unknown.

All pregnancies have a background risk of birth defect, loss, or other adverse outcomes. In the U.S. general population, the estimated background risk of major birth defects and miscarriage in clinically recognized pregnancies is 2 to 4% and 15 to 20%, respectively. Clinical Considerations Fetal/Neonatal Adverse Reactions Use of opioid analgesics for an extended period of time during pregnancy for medical or nonmedical purposes can result in physical dependence in the neonate and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome shortly after birth.

Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome presents as irritability, hyperactivity and abnormal sleep pattern, high pitched cry, tremor, vomiting, diarrhea, and failure to gain weight. The onset, duration, and severity of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome vary based on the specific opioid used, duration of use, timing and amount of last maternal use, and rate of elimination of the drug by the newborn. Observe newborns for symptoms of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome and manage accordingly . Labor or Delivery Opioids cross the placenta and may produce respiratory depression and psychophysiologic effects in neonates.

An opioid overdose reversal agent, such as naloxone or nalmefene, must be available for reversal of opioid induced respiratory depression in the neonate. DURAMORPH is not recommended for use in women during and immediately prior to labor, when use of shorter-acting analgesics or other analgesic techniques are more appropriate. Opioid analgesics, including DURAMORPH, can prolong labor through actions that temporarily reduce the strength, duration, and frequency of uterine contractions.

However, this effect is not consistent and may be offset by an increased rate of cervical dilatation, which tends to shorten labor. Monitor neonates exposed to opioid analgesics during labor for signs of excess sedation and respiratory depression. Data Human Data The results from a population-based prospective cohort, including 70 women exposed to morphine during the first trimester of pregnancy and 448 women exposed to morphine at any time during pregnancy, indicate no increased risk for congenital malformations.

However, these studies cannot definitely establish the absence of any risk because of methodological limitations, including small sample size and nonrandomized study design. Animal Data Formal reproductive and developmental toxicology studies for morphine have not been conducted. Exposure margins for the following published study reports are based on human daily dose of 60 mg morphine using a body surface area comparison (HDD). Neural tube defects (exencephaly and cranioschisis) were noted following subcutaneous administration of morphine sulfate (35-322 mg/kg) on Gestation Day 8 to pregnant hamsters (4.7 to 43.5 times the HDD). A no adverse effect level was not defined in this study and the findings cannot be clearly attributed to maternal toxicity.

Neural tube defects (exencephaly), axial skeletal fusions, and cryptorchidism were reported following a single subcutaneous (SC) injection of morphine sulfate to pregnant mice (100-500 mg/kg) on Gestation Day 8 or 9 at 200 mg/kg or greater (16 times the HDD) and fetal resorption at 400 mg/kg or higher (32 times the HDD). No adverse effects were noted following 100 mg/kg morphine in this model (8 times the HDD). In one study, following continuous subcutaneous infusion of doses greater than or equal to 2.72 mg/kg to mice (0.2 times the HDD), exencephaly, hydronephrosis, intestinal hemorrhage, split supraoccipital, malformed sternebrae, and malformed xiphoid were noted. The effects were reduced with increasing daily dose; possibly due to rapid induction of tolerance under these infusion conditions. The clinical significance of this report is not clear.

Decreased fetal weights were observed in pregnant rats treated with 20 mg/kg/day morphine sulfate (3.2 times the HDD) from Gestation Day 7 to 9. There was no evidence of malformations despite maternal toxicity (10% mortality). In a second rat study, decreased fetal weight and increased incidences of growth retardation were noted at 35 mg/kg/day (5.7 times the HDD) and there was a reduced number of fetuses at 70 mg/kg/day (11.4 times the HDD) when pregnant rats were treated with 10, 35, or 70 mg/kg/day morphine sulfate via continuous infusion from Gestation Day 5 to 20. There was no evidence of fetal malformations or maternal toxicity. An increased incidence of abortion was noted in a study in which pregnant rabbits were treated with 2.5 (0.8 times the HDD) to 10 mg/kg morphine sulfate via subcutaneous injection from Gestation Day 6 to 10. In a second study, decreased fetal body weights were reported following treatment of pregnant rabbits with increasing doses of morphine (10-50 mg/kg/day) during the pre-mating period and 50 mg/kg/day (16 times the HDD) throughout the gestation period. No overt malformations were reported in either publication; although only limited endpoints were evaluated.

In published studies in rats, exposure to morphine during gestation and/or lactation periods is associated with: decreased pup viability at 12.5 mg/kg/day or greater (2 times the HDD); decreased pup body weights at 15 mg/kg/day or greater (2.4 times the HDD); decreased litter size, decreased absolute brain and cerebellar weights, cyanosis, and hypothermia at 20 mg/kg/day (3.2 times the HDD); alteration of behavioral responses (play, social-interaction) at 1 mg/kg/day or greater (0.2 times the HDD); alteration of maternal behaviors (e.g., decreased nursing and pup retrievals) in mice at 1 mg/kg or higher (0.08 times the HDD) and rats at 1.5 mg/kg/day or higher (0.2 times the HDD); and a host of behavioral abnormalities in the offspring of rats, including altered responsiveness to opioids at 4 mg/kg/day (0.7 times the HDD) or greater. Fetal and/or postnatal exposure to morphine in mice and rats has been shown to result in morphological changes in fetal and neonatal brain and neuronal cell loss, alteration of a number of neurotransmitter and neuromodulator systems, including opioid and nonopioid systems, and impairment in various learning and memory tests that appear to persist into adulthood. These studies were conducted with morphine treatment usually in the range of 4 to 20 mg/kg/day (0.7 to 3.2 times the HDD). Additionally, delayed sexual maturation and decreased sexual behaviors in female offspring at 20 mg/kg/day (3.2 times the HDD), and decreased plasma and testicular levels of luteinizing hormone and testosterone, decreased testes weights, seminiferous tubule shrinkage, germinal cell aplasia, and decreased spermatogenesis in male offspring were also observed at 20 mg/kg/day (3.2 times the HDD). Decreased litter size and viability were observed in the offspring of male rats that were intraperitoneally administered morphine sulfate for 1 day prior to mating at 25 mg/kg/day (4.1 times the HDD) and mated to untreated females.

Decreased viability and body weight and/or movement deficits in both first and second generation offspring were reported when male mice were treated for 5 days with escalating doses of 120 to 240 mg/kg/day morphine sulfate (9.7 to 19.5 times the HDD) or when female mice treated with escalating doses of 60 to 240 mg/kg/day (4.9 to 19.5 times the HDD) followed by a 5- day treatment-free recovery period prior to mating. Similar multigenerational findings were also seen in female rats pre-gestationally treated with escalating doses of 10 to 22 mg/kg/day morphine (1.6 to 3.6 times the HDD).

Pediatric Use Adequate studies to establish the safety and effectiveness of spinal morphine in pediatric patients have not been performed, and usage in this population is not recommended.

• is contraindicated in patients with: Significant respiratory depression Acute or severe bronchial asthma in an unmonitored setting or in the absence of resuscitative equipment Concurrent use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or use of MAOIs within the last 14 days Known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, including paralytic ileus Hypersensitivity to morphine (e.g., anaphylaxis) Neuraxial administration of DURAMORPH is contraindicated in patients with: Infection at the injection microinfusion site Concomitant anticoagulant therapy Uncontrolled bleeding diathesis The presence of any other concomitant therapy or medical condition which would render epidural or intrathecal administration of medication especially hazardous.
• DURAMORPH is contraindicated in patients with: Significant respiratory depression Acute or severe bronchial asthma in an unmonitored setting in absence of resuscitative equipment Concurrent use of monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or use of MAOIs within the last 14 days Known or suspected gastrointestinal obstruction, including paralytic ileus Hypersensitivity or intolerance to morphine Neuraxial administration of DURAMORPH is contraindicated in patients with: Infection at the injection microinfusion site Concomitant anticoagulant therapy Uncontrolled bleeding diathesis The presence of any other concomitant therapy or medical condition which would render epidural or intrathecal administration of medication especially hazardous.

Clinical Presentation Acute overdose with morphine can be manifested by respiratory depression, somnolence progressing to stupor or coma, skeletal muscle flaccidity, cold and clammy skin, constricted pupils, and, in some cases, pulmonary edema, bradycardia, hypotension, hypoglycemia, partial or complete airway obstruction, atypical snoring, and death. Marked mydriasis rather than miosis may be seen with hypoxia in overdose situations . Toxic leukoencephalopathy has been reported after opioid overdose and can present hours, days, or weeks after apparent recovery from the initial intoxication. Treatment of Overdose In case of overdose, priorities are the reestablishment of a patent and protected airway and institution of assisted or controlled ventilation, if needed.

Employ other supportive measures (including oxygen and vasopressors) in the management of circulatory shock and pulmonary edema as indicated. Cardiac arrest or arrhythmias will require advanced life-support measures. For clinically significant respiratory or circulatory depression secondary to morphine overdose, administer an opioid overdose reversal agent such as naloxone or nalmefene.

As the duration of effect of naloxone is considerably shorter than that of epidural or intrathecal morphine, repeated administration may be necessary. Patients should be closely observed for evidence of renarcotization. Because the duration of opioid reversal is expected to be less than the duration of action of morphine in DURAMORPH, particularly with epidural or intrathecal morphine, carefully monitor the patient until spontaneous respiration is reliably reestablished.

If the response to an opioid overdose reversal agent is suboptimal or only brief in nature, administer additional reversal agent as directed by the product’s prescribing information. In an individual physically dependent on opioids, administration of the recommended usual dosage of the opioid overdose reversal agent will precipitate an acute withdrawal syndrome. The severity of the withdrawal symptoms experienced will depend on the degree of physical dependence and the dose of the reversal agent administered.

If a decision is made to treat serious respiratory depression in the physically-dependent patient, administration of the reversal agent should be initiated with care and by titration with smaller than usual doses of the reversal agent.