readily available airway equipment because the drug causes significant respiratory depression and may cause respiratory arrest if given too rapidly or in too high a dose. Other opioid side effects such as heart rhythm irregularity, blood pressure changes and nausea/vomiting can also be present in patients given this drug and should be dealt with accordingly. Sufentanil has been associated with extremely rare instances of life-threatening anaphylaxis. Overdose Management Because sufentanil is very potent, practitioners must be prepared to reverse the effects of the drug should the patient exhibit symptoms of overdose such as respiratory depression or respiratory arrest. As for all other opioid-based medications, naloxone (trade name Narcan) is the definitive antidote for overdose. Depending on the amount administered, it can reverse the respiratory depression and, if enough is administered, completely reverse the effects of sufentanil. See also Betahydroxythiofentanyl Carfentanil R-30490 Thiafentanil References External links Anilides Belgian inventions Ethers Fentanyl General anesthetics Janssen Pharmaceutica Mu-opioid receptor agonists Opioids Piperidines Propionamides Thiophenes