The detrimental impacts on the body caused by an overdose of a specific medication.
Unintentional poisoning frequently happens among young children. The risk has been mitigated by the use of child-proof medication containers. In adults, it’s typically the elderly or those who are disoriented and uncertain about their prescribed medication and dosage who are most prone to drug poisoning. Incidents of accidental poisoning can also arise from substance abuse. Intentional self-poisoning, on the other hand, might be an individual’s plea for assistance.
Benzodiazepines and antidepressants are the types of drugs that are most frequently used in overdose situations.
It’s crucial to seek immediate medical aid for anyone who has consumed an overdose of drugs, as well as for children who have ingested another person’s medication. Determining the specific drugs consumed is a critical step in this process.
Hospital treatment may include a procedure called gastric lavage, which involves rinsing the stomach with water via a tube inserted through the mouth. Oral administration of charcoal might be utilized to limit the drug’s absorption from the intestines into the bloodstream. Intravenous infusion could be used to boost urine production, aiding in the expulsion of the drug from the body. While antidotes exist, they are specific to only a handful of drugs. For instance, naloxone serves as an antidote for morphine, while methionine works against paracetamol.
Drug overdose could lead to symptoms such as lethargy, labored breathing, uneven heart rhythms, and in rare cases, heart failure, seizures, and damage to the kidneys and liver. To address the issue of irregular heart rhythms, doctors can prescribe antiarrhythmic medications. Seizures can be managed with anticonvulsant drugs. If the overdosed drug poses a threat to the liver or kidneys, medical practitioners will conduct blood tests to assess liver functionality, along with vigilant tracking of urine production.