After a patient has overdosed on Lopressor and it's been 5-6 hours, what should be ordered?

In a case of Lopressor (metoprolol) overdose, the administration of glucagon and atropine is appropriate due to their pharmacological effects. Glucagon serves as a key countermeasure in beta-blocker toxicity because it can increase heart rate and myocardial contractility by stimulating adenylate cyclase, effectively bypassing the beta-receptor blockade caused by the medication. Atropine can further assist by increasing the heart rate through its action as an anticholinergic agent.

While other treatments can be considered in various contexts, they are not suitable for a Lopressor overdose. For example, Narcan is an opioid antagonist and would not be effective against the effects of a beta-blocker overdose. Activated charcoal might be used if the overdose were recent and the patient is alert and able to protect their airway; however, the timing is critical, and since it has been 5-6 hours since ingestion, it may no longer be an effective treatment option in this scenario. Flumazenil is a benzodiazepine antagonist and is inappropriate in this case because it could potentially precipitate seizures, especially in patients with polysubstance overdose, and does not address beta-blocker toxicity.

Thus, the combination of glucagon and atropine