The only reasonable explanation I can think of is ability
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The biggest problem with opioid overdose is that it causes decreased respiratory effort by the patient. This means they are not breathing very frequently or not breathing at all. If the medics are able to breath for the patient (for example, bag-valve-mask, intubation, etc.) then the patient is going to be fine.
At this point, in theory, they should still give naloxone, but sometimes they will wait because they are breathing for the patient and giving naloxone is just going to reverse the overdose which will either 1) cause the patient to wake up kicking and screaming or 2) cause withdrawal which is very very uncomfortable for the patient or both.
Medics don’t like being punched in the face, and patients don’t like sweating profusely and diarrhea etc.
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