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Does Over Dosage Of Morphine Sulphate Induce Coma In A COPD Patient?
My wife had copd for a little over two years. She was in no pain but given two doses of liquid morphine three days in a row. The first two days she was alert and part of the third day. After the 6th dose of morphine she went into a coma, mouth open, staring up and gasping for breath. I called the nurse and she never came out to check her vitals. Could the morphine sulfate have caused her to go into the coma from which she lay for 12 or 13 hours/
posted on
Thu, 2 Jul 2015
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Tue, 25 Aug 2020
Answered on
Fri, 28 Aug 2020
Last reviewed on
Hi,
Yes. Severe COPD produces a tendency to have high carbon dioxide. This is made vastly worse by even mild inhibition of respiration with opiates. They are quite dangerous in the context of severe COPD. It isn't clear if she came out of the coma.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Matt Wachsman, Addiction Medicine Specialist
Yes. Severe COPD produces a tendency to have high carbon dioxide. This is made vastly worse by even mild inhibition of respiration with opiates. They are quite dangerous in the context of severe COPD. It isn't clear if she came out of the coma.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Matt Wachsman, Addiction Medicine Specialist
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