A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing respiratory depression after taking an excessive dose of oxycodone. Which of the following medications should the nurse expect to administer?

Choice A rationale Naloxone is a competitive opioid receptor antagonist. It binds to the same mu, kappa, and delta opioid receptors as oxycodone but does not activate them. By competing for and displacing oxycodone from these receptors, naloxone rapidly reverses the central nervous system and respiratory depression caused by an opioid overdose, restoring normal breathing. Choice B rationale Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist. It reverses the effects of benzodiazepines, which are a different class of drugs. It would be ineffective in treating respiratory depression caused by oxycodone, which is an opioid. Administering flumazenil in this context would not reverse the overdose and could delay appropriate treatment. Choice C rationale Bisacodyl is a stimulant laxative used to treat constipation by stimulating peristalsis in the bowel. It has no effect on the central nervous system or opioid receptors. Administering bisacodyl would not reverse the respiratory depression and would not address the life-threatening effects of an oxycodone overdose. Choice D rationale Pentazocine is a mixed opioid agonist-antagonist. While it has some antagonist effects, it also has agonist activity at certain opioid receptors. Therefore, it is not a pure reversal agent and is not the first-line treatment for an opioid overdose. Administering it could potentially worsen the respiratory depression.