YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - The opiate reversal medication naloxone, often referred by the brand name Narcan, is used across this Valley every single day.  Sometimes its administered multiple times a day.

"As soon as the medication is administered and the opiate is removed from the opiate receptor, someone who is dependent upon opiates, they are going to experience withdrawal," said Dr. Daniel Brown with Meridian HealthCare.

Some first responders in our area are now airing on the side of caution, choosing to administering naloxone, even if they aren't entirely sure what's causing a person to be unresponsive.

"In the instance there is no opiate there, a person is not experiencing an overdose, it really doesn't do anything to the person.  There is not going to be any side effects.  There is not going to be harm that would occur to a person," said Dr. Brown.

Dr. Daniel Brown with Meridian HealthCare says because naloxone works as an opiate blocker, it does not interfere with any other medications.  It also cannot reverse an overdose caused by any other type of drug.  Opiate users will be the only people to experience the side effect of naloxone.

"It is not going to trigger any other reactions in the body.  The only instance there would be an issue is if someone is a chronic pain medication and wasn't experiencing an overdose.  They may have some withdrawal symptoms that could occur, but for someone who is not on opiates, there is going to be no effect," said Dr. Brown.