A patient who has a long-term addiction to opioids takes an overdose of barbiturates. The nurse preparing to care for this patient will anticipate:

Question

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Patients tolerant to opioids do not have cross-tolerance to barbiturates, so this patient will show signs of overdose such as pinpoint pupils, respiratory depression, and coma. Because there is no cross-tolerance, a patient addicted to opioids will not have an abstinence syndrome when the effects of the barbiturates are reversed. Respiratory depression will be severe. Naloxone cannot be used to reverse the effects of the barbiturates.

A Patient Who Has a Long-Term Addiction to Opioids Takes