Narcan (naloxone) is a brand-name nasal spray that’s used to treat opioid overdose. Narcan is not known to interact with alcohol, other drugs, or supplements.

Narcan is prescribed for emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose in adults and children of all ages. Narcan can also be bought over-the-counter for this use.

If you take opioids, it’s recommended that you keep Narcan on hand and let other people know where you keep it. Narcan is meant to be given by a family member, caregiver, or other person who finds someone with a known or suspected opioid overdose.

Note that Narcan is not a substitute for medical treatment. After giving Narcan to someone, call 911 right away, even if the person wakes up after treatment with Narcan.

You may wonder if Narcan can interact with other medications, supplements, or other substances. An interaction occurs when one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected.

To learn more about Narcan’s interactions, keep reading. For additional information about Narcan, including details about its uses, see this article.

There are no specific reports of Narcan interacting with other medications. However, this doesn’t mean drug interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, when you get Narcan from your pharmacy, talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other medications you take. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

If you overdose on opioids, a family member, caregiver, or other person can treat you with Narcan even if they don’t know what other medications you may have taken. Keep in mind that opioid overdose can be fatal, and Narcan can save your life.

However, note that Narcan is not a substitute for medical treatment. After giving Narcan to someone, call 911 right away, even if the person wakes up after treatment with Narcan.

To learn whether Narcan interacts with supplements, herbs, or vitamins, see the “Narcan and other interactions” section below.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

In some cases, factors or conditions could prevent your doctor from prescribing Narcan or your pharmacist supplying Narcan due to the risk of harm. These are known as contraindications. The only Narcan contraindication is allergic reaction.

Having had an allergic reaction to Narcan or any of its ingredients

You should not receive Narcan if you’ve had a known past allergic reaction to Narcan or any of its ingredients. The drug could cause another allergic reaction in this case. If you’ve had a past allergic reaction to Narcan or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Narcan and your pharmacist will likely not supply it. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

There are no known interactions between Narcan and alcohol. It’s safe to receive Narcan if you’ve been drinking alcohol. However, if you have overdosed on alcohol, Narcan won’t work to treat this. It will only work to treat an opioid overdose.

If you have questions about receiving Narcan if you’ve been drinking alcohol, or about administering Narcan to someone who’s been drinking alcohol, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Narcan may have other interactions, such as with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. You’ll find details below. Keep in mind that the following information does not include all other possible interactions with Narcan.

Narcan and supplements

It’s possible for drugs to interact with supplements such as vitamins and herbs.

Narcan and herbs

There are no specific reports of herbs interacting with Narcan. However, that doesn’t mean herbal interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, when you receive Narcan from your pharmacy, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take any of these products. They can check if it will be safe for you to receive treatment with Narcan.

If you overdose on opioids, a family member, caregiver, or other person can treat you with Narcan even if they don’t know what herbs you may have taken.

Narcan and vitamins

There are no specific reports of vitamins interacting with Narcan. However, that doesn’t mean vitamin interactions won’t occur or be recognized in the future. Because of this, when you receive Narcan from your pharmacy, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you take any vitamin products. They can check if it will be safe for you to receive treatment with Narcan.

If you overdose on opioids, a family member, caregiver, or other person can treat you with Narcan even if they don’t know what vitamins you may have taken.

Narcan and food

There were no reports of food interactions with Narcan. If you’d like to learn more about receiving Narcan treatment if you’ve been eating certain foods, talk with your doctor.

Narcan and vaccines

There aren’t any known interactions between Narcan and vaccines. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to see whether you’re due for any vaccines.

Narcan and lab tests

Narcan can show up on drug screens that test for naloxone in urine. These screens are sometimes used to monitor treatment progress in people with opioid use disorder.

If you have concerns about this medication interacting with lab tests, talk with your doctor.

NARCAN INTERACTION WITH CANNABIS OR CBD

Cannabis (often called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have not been specifically reported to interact with Narcan. It’s safe to receive Narcan if you have been using cannabis or cannabis products.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions and other factors may increase the risk of interactions with Narcan. Before you take this drug, be sure to talk with your doctor about your health history. Narcan may not be the right treatment option if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.

Health conditions or factors that might interact with Narcan include:

  • Heart problems: If you have heart problems, receiving Narcan may increase your risk of serious heart problems such as heart attack. If you have heart problems, talk with your doctor about whether Narcan is the right treatment option for you. However, keep in mind that opioid overdose can be fatal, and Narcan can save a life. You should not delay giving Narcan to treat an opioid overdose because of concerns about heart problems. After giving Narcan to someone, call 911 right away. The emergency medical team can provide treatment to help someone recover from opioid overdose and any related heart problems.
  • Allergic reaction: If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Narcan or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Narcan. You can ask them about other treatments that may be better choices for you.
  • Breastfeeding: It’s not known whether Narcan passes into breast milk or what effects Narcan may have on a child who is breastfed. However, if you’ve overdosed on opioids, a family member, caregiver, or other person can treat you with Narcan if you’re breastfeeding. Receiving Narcan can save your life. If you have questions about the safety of receiving Narcan when breastfeeding or how to feed your child after receiving Narcan, talk with your doctor.
  • Pregnancy: Receiving Narcan while pregnant could cause opioid withdrawal symptoms in the fetus. However, if you’ve overdosed on opioids, a family member, caregiver, or other person can treat you with Narcan if you’re pregnant. An opioid overdose can be fatal, and receiving Narcan can save your life. If you receive Narcan while pregnant, you should be seen by your doctor right away. Your doctor will monitor your health and the health of the fetus. If you have questions about the safety of receiving Narcan when pregnant, talk with your doctor.

You can take certain steps to help prevent interactions with Narcan. Your doctor and pharmacist are key resources, so reach out to them before starting treatment. For example, you should plan to do the following:

  • Let them know if you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
  • Tell them about any other medications you take, as well as any supplements, herbs, and vitamins.
  • Create a medication list, which your doctor and pharmacist can help you fill out.

It’s also important to read the Narcan label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. The label may have colored stickers that mention an interaction. And the paperwork, sometimes called the medication guide or patient package insert, may contain details about interactions.

If Narcan doesn’t come with paperwork, you can ask your pharmacist to print a copy. If you need help reading or understanding this information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

You can also help prevent interactions with Narcan by taking it exactly as your doctor prescribes.

Besides learning about interactions, you may want to find out more about Narcan. These resources might help:

Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.