Death from drugs. What pills to take to get poisoned? Lethal dose of pills. Possible causes of overdose and poisoning

Modern medicine offers remedies to treat almost all diseases and strengthen the body as a whole. But many have heard that medicines cure one thing and cripple another. Sometimes this expression, which has long become popular, is applied to human life.

Violation of the rules for taking medications or increased sensitivity exposure of the body to chemical compounds can cause intoxication at best, and death at worst. So, what common medications should you be wary of? Overdose of which pills leads to death?

Rules for taking medicines

Before using any medications, you should consult your doctor.

This is rule number 1 in the treatment of diseases. But there is a small problem: not all doctors have sufficient knowledge and experience. Therefore, to resolve the issue, it is better to choose a proven specialist, especially in the case of serious illnesses.

Secondly, not every person turns to a doctor for help, preferring to self-medicate.

For headaches, slightly elevated temperature or a superficial scratch to go to the hospital even ashamed.

And the person uses the medications on his own, often following the recommendations of very dubious advisers, completely forgetting to read the instructions.

The result is often the swallowing of an excessive amount of tablets, which, instead of healing, leads to a serious complication. Therefore, under any circumstances, you need to read the instructions. The manufacturing company always indicates the therapeutic dose of the drug, pharmacological group, possible side effects and compatibility with other medications.

From an overdose of which pills does death occur? From the most diverse. Popular today and familiar from childhood. Let's take a closer look at the types of drugs that you need to be careful with.

Types of dangerous drugs

It turns out that absolutely all medicines can poison a person. Even harmless, at first glance, Aspirin and advertised Paracetamol. But if such drugs are used only to eliminate symptoms (which means quite rarely), then some drugs are used systematically.

This applies to elderly people who are fighting for their lives by all means, this also applies to chronically ill people of any age.

And often such patients violate medical recommendations, hoping to get a better effect from a larger dose.

Old people sometimes simply forget that just recently they were already taking medication.

An overdose of which pills can cause death? Doctors name several types of especially dangerous medications:

  • sleeping pills;
  • cardiological;
  • neurotropic;
  • painkillers.

Sleeping pills

Derivatives of barbituric acid (Pentobarbital, Phenobarbital, etc.) were widely used as sedatives and hypnotics.

Over time, their unsafety was proven, and their therapeutic use was significantly narrowed. In addition, doctors prescribe non-barbituric drugs (Lorazepam, Noctek, etc.) with caution, because they also provoke pronounced side effects:

  • breathing disorder;
  • impaired muscle motility (ataxia);
  • decrease in heart rate;
  • paralysis of the eye muscles;
  • confusion.

If a person takes 2-3 times more of the recommended amount of such tablets, then intoxication is guaranteed. And in the case of a 10-fold excess of the therapeutic dosage, death occurs.

Cardiological

Improving the functioning of the cardiovascular system is a concern for many older people.

It is after 50 - 60 years that problems with blood pressure, vascular tone and heart function most often begin. As aids, doctors recommend drugs based on glycosides - compounds of natural origin. If the therapeutic dosage is observed, they significantly prolong the life of elderly patients.

But if you exceed the number of tablets by at least 10 times, the patient will experience the following symptoms:

  • intestinal disorders (diarrhea, nausea, vomiting);
  • nervous disorders (delusions, hallucinations, agitation);
  • headache;
  • convulsions;
  • heart rhythm disturbance.

Not every person's heart can withstand such a load. And in the case of a long-term illness and weakening of the main muscle of the body, there is every chance of a myocardial infarction.

In addition, potassium intoxication, whose ions are involved in metabolic processes cells, regulation of heart contractions, maintenance of water-salt homeostasis and transmission of nerve impulses through neurons.

Accidental overdose of this chemical element provokes arrhythmia, disorientation and decreased blood pressure.

And if you introduce 14 g of pure potassium into the body, the heart will stop. By the way, this feature was adopted by the US authorities: in recent decades, executions have been carried out by a lethal injection of potassium.

Neurotropic

In psychiatric practice they usually resort to drug treatment, which consists of the use of tranquilizers, antipsychotics and antidepressants. Doctors have different views on this therapy. Some consider it advisable to use such means, others prefer more humane ways of helping the patient.

Medicines in this group act on the central nervous system either depressingly or stimulatingly.

It all depends on the purpose of treatment. For example, monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) increase the concentration of compounds such as serotonin, dopamine and several others. These substances directly affect the formation of a person’s mood.

However, exceeding the dosage causes such strong excitement that the risk of clinical death (coma) increases significantly. Intoxication sometimes becomes noticeable only a day after the drug is abused, and if help is not provided to the patient, death is quite possible.

Just 100 years ago, cocaine was considered a safe stimulant of the nervous system and was sold in pharmacies without a prescription. Today it is rarely used in medical practice.

There are so many cases of deaths from cocaine overdose that the UN added the compound to the prohibited list in 1963. And yet it doesn't interfere" former medicine"remain the most popular drug in the world.

It is known that long-term use of cocaine provokes the development of psychosis and hallucinations. If you take more than 1.2 g of white powder at one time, your heart will not be able to cope with the load and will stop.

A similar danger comes from tricyclic antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Stelazine, etc.). These drugs are considered reliable means for suppressing anxiety, but almost every representative of this group causes the following symptoms in case of overdose:

  • weakness;
  • decline blood pressure;
  • hallucinations;
  • anxious delirium (madness, delirium);
  • fever.

Death in most cases occurs due to heart rhythm disturbances. And if a toxic dose of Amitriptyline is considered to be 500 mg, then a lethal dose is 1200 mg.

Painkillers

Although this group includes a large number of drugs, narcotic analgesics deserve special attention: morphine, heroin, codeine, methadone and the like.

In medical practice, these drugs are used to relieve severe pain.

There are many reasons for such serious treatment, but in each case the medicine is prescribed exclusively by a doctor. And if the dosage is exceeded, the patient experiences the following symptoms:

  • constricted pupils;
  • nausea and vomiting;
  • breathing disorder;
  • clouding of consciousness up to hallucinations;
  • convulsions.

As a result of intoxication with narcotic analgesics, a person often falls into a coma. If the maximum dosage is exceeded clinical death the matter is not limited to - death occurs.

Some people see a kind of thrill in the symptoms side effects. They are called drug addicts. They become addicted to such drugs after 2-3 uses, and sometimes it is impossible to get off the needle.

Lethal dose heroin for an adult when administered intravenously - 75 mg, morphine - 200 mg. However, for experienced drug addicts, this amount will only bring pleasure.

By the way, long-term use of these drugs significantly reduces the body’s sensitivity to chemical compounds. And when a disease occurs, doctors simply throw up their hands out of helplessness: the necessary drugs do not work on the patient due to existing drug addiction.

Popular drugs

There are many over-the-counter drugs on the pharmaceutical market that do not require a doctor's prescription. And patients do not always go to the hospital for consultation. Everyone already knows: if you have a headache, Aspirin or Analgin will help, and if you have a fever, Paracetamol will help.

But such popular medications are fraught with danger, which neither doctors nor pharmacy workers warn about. An overdose of which pills can cause rapid death? Let's look at the most popular drugs.

Paracetamol

Currently, Paracetamol is produced by almost 30 companies. Medicines are supplied under various trademarks, but the active connection is the same everywhere. Preparations based on it are used to reduce body temperature. Some patients believe that if you sequentially take 2 - 3 types of medicinal tea (Coldrex, Fervex, etc.), and even take a tablet with the same substance, the effect will be more pronounced.

Of course, the temperature will drop. And at the same time, intoxication will occur, as a result of which the liver will first suffer. But there is also a risk of destruction of brain cells. The maximum daily dose of Paracetamol is 4 g.

Consumption of at least 15 g per day provokes intoxication, and over 20 g - death. Statistics show that in the USA and European countries Paracetamol leads in the number of poisonings, including deaths.

Aspirin

Acetylsalicylic acid - Aspirin - is on the list of essential drugs. This chemical compound has anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effects, which is why it is very popular. Back in 1982, the authors of the discovery were awarded Nobel Prize for giving the world such a miraculous medicine!

A few years later, doctors began to notice the development of Reye's syndrome in children taking Aspirin, even in prescribed doses. This disease is characterized by the destruction of liver cells, and although it manifests itself very rarely, it is sometimes impossible to save the patient. In addition, the drug thins the blood, as a result of which doctors call gastric bleeding.

In light of the popularity of Aspirin, pharmacists forget to warn people: exceeding the therapeutic dose by 10 times leads to intoxication, and the use of 30-40 g leads to death.

Analgin

As a safe pain reliever, domestic doctors often recommend Analgin - metamizole sodium. The medicine acts relatively quickly: in just half an hour the patient will feel relief.

However, in a number of countries (USA, Japan, Sweden, etc.), metamizole sodium is banned due to its ability to cause agranulocytosis, which is characterized by a decrease in the level of leukocytes in the blood and, as a result, an increase in susceptibility to bacterial and fungal infections.

The maximum daily dosage of Analgin is 3 g, and exceeding it leads to such side effects:

  • nausea and vomiting;
  • decrease in blood pressure;
  • tachycardia;
  • dyspnea;
  • paralysis of the respiratory muscles;
  • impaired consciousness, delirium;
  • convulsions;
  • hemorrhagic syndrome.

As you can see from this list, there are plenty of reasons for concern. If the patient's body is initially weak, then without medical help it will be problematic to overcome the symptoms of an overdose. And if you consume more than 20 g of Analgin, death cannot be avoided.

Iodine

After the Chernobyl disaster, the authorities disseminated information that iodine reduces the effects of radioactive exposure. Yes it is. There is even scientific evidence.

However, some people sometimes treat iodine irresponsibly, either not knowing, or forgetting about the danger that this chemical element carries. If you use more than 500 mg of the drug per day, then the person will have characteristic signs:

  • increase in goiter;
  • protrusion of the eyes;
  • tachycardia;
  • decreased muscle tone;
  • indigestion.

These symptoms will seem negligible if the dosage is increased to 2 g. Iodine will simply provoke protein denaturation, which will naturally lead to cell death. But before that, a person will feel a strong pain syndrome due to burns of the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, larynx, stomach and intestines.

When this chemical element is absorbed into the blood, the central nervous system will fail, and the heartbeat will slow down dramatically. Death from an iodine overdose will be painful.

Vitamins

Vitamin D is necessary for the body to grow bone tissue. Its deficiency leads to rickets at an early age.

To prevent the development of this disease, caring mothers regularly stuff their children with double and triple doses of vitamin D. The result is often the death of a child due to excessive mineralization and ossification of the skull.

Vitamin C activates the immune defense, so it is rightfully considered one of the most important compounds. The daily dose of pure substance for an adult is 90 mg. But if you consume more than 500 mg of vitamin C daily, then human DNA will begin to mutate - instead of normal cells, cancer cells will appear.

In addition, anemia often develops, which in itself is dangerous due to the risk of premature tissue death. And yet this does not prevent some pharmaceutical companies from producing complexes in which ascorbic acid contained 2 - 5 times higher than normal.

Vitamin A is required for good vision, growth and development of the body. It is included in the structure of cell membranes and provides antioxidant protection. The permissible daily dose of vitamin A for an adult is 10,000 IU or 3 mg.

However, a single use of more than 25,000 IU per 1 kg of weight provokes acute poisoning, which is characterized by convulsions and paralysis. If you don't provide medical care, then death is possible.

In turn, daily intake for 6-15 months of 4000 IU of vitamin A causes a chronic overdose. At the same time, a person’s vision is impaired, the liver enlarges, the pressure inside the skull increases with all the ensuing consequences. In addition, with a constant excess of this compound, cases of bone fracture without significant load are not uncommon.

First aid for drug overdose

A person who has been poisoned by medications requires urgent hospitalization. Only doctors will provide qualified assistance, if, of course, they have time. And for the situation to be clear from the beginning, doctors need to know the name of the tablets.

Anyone who finds a victim should immediately call an ambulance and carefully look for empty drug packs. Perhaps they were the cause of intoxication.

And while the medical team is on the way, it is recommended to rinse the patient’s stomach with salt water (1 teaspoon of salt per 1 liter of water). After drinking 5 - 6 glasses of this solution, you need to induce vomiting. For greater reliability, the victim should be given 4 - 5 tablets of activated carbon.

Conclusion

This article provides a detailed answer to the question, “Which pills can cause a fatal overdose?” However, this information is not an instruction for suicide, but a warning about the dangers of illiterate use of medications.

When the moment comes that you want to die, most likely the person has received a deep mental wound and does not know what to do about it. In search of a way out, they think about escaping life through death pills. Pharmacists sell them to make money. The paradox is that they make money anyway. Some hope to get health from pharmacology, which is basically their purpose. There are also those who decide to take a desperate act to harm themselves.

It is extremely important for people who are suicidal to understand that the problem is not their life that they want to eliminate. 4 factors behind despair leading to death.

1. Pills will not save you from loneliness

Prove that you are stronger and I will rejoice for you. No matter what kind of person you are, I am confident that Christ died on the cross so that you could live in hope. The sacrament of the Christian faith lifts the curtain of existence with events that surpass our understanding - the Creator loves you!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” Gospel of John 3 chapter 16 verse.

4. Spiritual invisible struggle

The Bible tells us that there is an enemy of the Lord - Satan, whose goal is to destroy as many descendants of Adam as possible. Hiding in the shadows, the enemy uses sophisticated networks and sends dirty thoughts. Most likely you noticed how I could come to this. It doesn't look like me. Think about why I live, what is the purpose of my coming into this world. Believe me, she is. So thoughts of suicide come to a person not from within, but from without, from the gloomy spiritual world. Christianity from time immemorial considers them to be the action of the forces of darkness.

Some people believe that there can be no happiness on earth. But in fact, a person is meant for him, the main thing is to find a way to him. Interesting fact: When a person contemplating suicide finds the Bible, he gets many answers and begins to see life in true light. All this suggests that any person needs a Creator, and a potential suicide in the first place.

Many people are interested in what kind of pill overdose people die from.

You should know that the most basic groups of drugs that can cause death are:

  1. monoamine oxidase inhibitors. This group includes Parnate, Marplat and Phenelzine. An increase in the recommended dose can cause an increase in the patient’s mood and psycho-emotional agitation, which leads to coma or disruption of the functioning of the heart muscle. The effect of such drugs will be noticeable only 24 hours after the patient uses them. Therefore, timely diagnosis of poisoning with such tablets often becomes impossible.
  2. hallucinogenic drugs. These drugs can cause seizures, spatial disorientation, visual and auditory hallucinations, and coma. The use of such medications in a larger dosage than necessary can cause depression of the psycho-emotional state.
  3. Sleeping pills. This category includes non-barbiturates pharmaceutical products and barbiturates. An unauthorized increase in the dose of such tablets can lead to confusion, as well as disturbances in the functioning of the circulatory and respiratory system. A lethal dose is considered to be a tenfold increase in the maximum dosage.
  4. Opiates (narcotic analgesics). This category includes Methadone, Morphine, Codeine, Oxycodone, etc. In large quantities, they can lead to confusion, vomiting, nausea, and even cardiac arrest. It is sometimes not possible to help with an overdose of narcotic analgesics, so the patient needs to be especially careful when taking these drugs.

Central nervous system stimulants are dangerous. These include Amphetamine, Cocaine. When the recommended dose is increased, they can cause hallucinations, severe psycho-emotional overexcitation and psychosis, and if used uncontrolled, such drugs cause coma. Death is usually caused by cardiac arrhythmia.

An overdose of drugs is dangerous to human life

Pharmaceutical drugs are antidepressants that are prescribed to calm or get rid of neuroses, which can lead to severe dry skin, anxiety and hallucinations when the required dose is increased. It is not uncommon for patients to commit suicide after an overdose of such drugs.

Patients and their relatives should know that when taking medications prescribed by a doctor, it is imperative to adhere to the dosage and not exceed it.

Drugs purchased without a prescription

Not everyone knows that you can also get poisoned from an overdose of medications sold without a prescription in pharmacies. Taking pills with drinks containing alcohol has a particularly negative effect on the body.

Patients should take the following medications with particular caution:

  1. Aspirin. This medicine may be fatal if the patient suffers from intestinal, stomach or peptic ulcer disease. As for children, this remedy is not recommended for them, since it can lead to the occurrence of a rare but dangerous Ray's syndrome, as well as asthma.
  2. Paracetamol. Externally safe drug, which is given to both adults and children, with increasing doses can cause general poisoning of the body and destruction of brain cells.
  3. Loperamide. The drug, which is purchased at the pharmacy for attacks of diarrhea, can be addictive, which can subsequently lead to a large number of side effects.
  4. Vitamin E. Can cause a stroke and even bleeding of internal organs if the permissible dosage is exceeded several times.
  5. Vitamin C. Large amounts of vitamin C taken can cause cancer. Therefore, you should not exceed the recommended daily dose of 45 mg. Vitamin C should be given to children with particular caution.
  6. Iodine, drotaverine (No-Shpa) with increasing dosage can cause death in the patient.

You should know that all medications (even the most harmless ones) must be stored out of the reach of children.

Tablets that affect the heart

Patients should be aware that any increase in the dose of medications that affect the cardiovascular system can cause unpleasant symptoms. Such drugs include cardiac glycosides. Taking such drugs on a regular basis helps improve blood circulation. In addition, they help cope with a weak or rapid heart rate.

Everyone should know about the symptoms of overdose!

However, positive aspects will appear only if the patient complies with the dose of medication prescribed by the doctor. If it is exceeded, it can lead to unpleasant consequences in the form of a decrease in blood pressure, headaches, attacks of nausea, sometimes vomiting, difficulty breathing and stool disorders.

In addition, they can cause negative changes during a cardiogram.

Drugs that have a hypnotic effect are no less dangerous. As a rule, if a patient cannot fall asleep from one pill, he takes another, naively believing that he will not harm his body. But increasing the dosage of sleeping pills can cause apathy, drowsiness and depression of the respiratory and nervous systems. In addition, drugs of this effect provoke the appearance of serious disturbances in the functioning of the heart, which can lead to serious damage to internal organs and put a person into a coma.

Doctors recommend that patients taking pills on an ongoing basis write down exactly when and how much medication was taken. This rule will protect the patient from dangerous side effects due to overdose. Also, you should know that before using any medications, it is better to consult a doctor.

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Why you feel sick while eating: let’s find out together

I understand that now you can find any information on the Internet if you wish, but it would be better in the article not to indicate the names of the drugs themselves, but only their groups. Nowadays, unfortunately, there are a lot of juvenile suicides. Only recently the scandal with the blue whale has calmed down, so there is no need to give unnecessary information to the general public. Sorry, this is my personal opinion.

not just minors. but there are also adults, like me! whose life has no meaning! and the same thing is ahead all the time!

Oleg, why don’t you want to live?

Most people have their own difficulties in life. Some people try to solve them, others simply give up and see no other way out of committing suicide... I am now in such a state that I give up... But I have someone to live for...

I have been feeling psychological stress and extreme fatigue for 2 years now. I have someone to live for, but I'm tired of enduring it.

I have the same.

The fox is in the hole, the bob is free. The whales did not go anywhere, but only became silent. There will be many more suicides. They forgot to add Isoniazid tablets, which, although they are on prescription, I bought them. So all that remains is to choose the right time and plunge into eternal sleep.

What is this sleeping pill?

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Dangerous drugs: which pills can cause death?

Lethal drugs for humans are not necessarily contained in a bottle labeled “poison”, as in ancient times. The modern pharmaceutical industry produces a huge variety of drugs that can cause fatal poisoning, and often these are completely harmless at first glance drugs that we take to improve our health.

How is it that the same drugs carry both healing and death, representing potentially dangerous drugs? It's all about the factors that determine the characteristics of taking medications:

  • drug overdose - intentional or accidental,
  • age (there are medications that children should absolutely not take),
  • unacceptable combination with other drugs (some drugs repeatedly enhance the effect of each other or form compounds that are toxic to the body),
  • simultaneous use of alcohol with treatment,
  • health status: there are medications that are prohibited for diabetic patients, bronchial asthma, heart failure, during pregnancy, etc.
  • increased individual reaction of the body, hypersensitivity to certain medications (which a person may not be aware of).

What drugs can cause poisoning?

Tablets that cause death can be divided into two large groups:

  • available with a doctor's prescription;
  • sold freely, without a prescription.

Drugs from the first group, naturally, are much more dangerous, and there are more deaths due to them, although people are capable of causing harm to themselves even with over-the-counter medications that are relatively harmless at first glance.

However, prescription drugs pose the greatest danger. An overdose of which pills can cause death?

  • Narcotic analgesic drugs (painkillers) from the group of opiates and cocaine, as well as those based on morphine and heroin. They are used to relieve severe pain; only a doctor prescribes and gives such medications, because these are powerful drugs. In this case, it is very easy to exceed the permissible dose, because it is very small due to the high intensity of the effect of the drugs on the body. In case of an overdose, the pupils narrow, breathing problems occur, consciousness is lost partially or completely, disruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system and breathing occur, up to cardiac arrest, convulsions occur and often coma, followed by death. Moreover, sometimes everything happens so quickly that it is impossible to provide help. An overdose of these drugs can be accidental, especially in people with drug addiction, but it can also be provoked intentionally - which is why strict accounting and control is carried out for such drugs: these are the very powerful pills that can kill you. But just a century ago, cocaine was freely sold in pharmacies, and morphine was widely used in medical institutions and was considered a relatively safe painkiller!
  • Sleeping pills. They are also available strictly by prescription, but death often occurs from an accidental overdose (especially in the elderly, who may not remember whether they have already taken the medicine, as well as in small children, who can easily eat the entire contents of the medicine box), or in the case of suicide, when a person deliberately takes pills for an “easy death” - people die in their sleep from sleeping pills. When taking an increased dose of sleeping pills, disturbances of consciousness, blood circulation and breathing occur, a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate, a coma develops, and a tenfold increase in the dose almost always leads to death.
  • Antidepressants are prescribed for calm, but with an overdose, the effect is the opposite: there is a drop in blood pressure, anxiety and anxious delusional states, hallucinations, and most importantly, a sharp increase in suicidal readiness. Therefore, it is against the background of long-term use of antidepressants or a multiple increase in their dose that many suicides occur (and sometimes an atypical reaction occurs, and aggression is directed not at oneself, but at others - this explains the shocking murders, often mass, in last years often amazing even the most prosperous societies, where people who take antidepressants for a long time appear as criminals). However, the real cause of death in the event of an overdose of antidepressants is heart rhythm disturbance and cardiac arrest.
  • Amphetamine-based or cocaine-based central nervous system stimulants are used either as doping drugs in big sport(which is strictly prohibited, but sometimes ignored), or as stimulants of the body's capabilities (at the same time, its resources are mercilessly exploited, because all organs and systems work to the limit). Taking psychostimulants allows you to multiply your working capacity, endurance, go without sleep and food for a long time (which is why, by the way, those who want to lose weight often become victims of stimulants). Also, these drugs are the most popular drugs in the world and are definitely addictive, almost all from the first dose. An overdose, on the other hand, easily occurs in a state where a drug addict or possessed specific purpose the person has already taken the drug and wants to “increase the effect.” In this case, there is hyperexcitation, hallucinations, psychosis, cardiac arrhythmia, which is often the cause of death, or a drug-induced coma from which one cannot recover. Therefore, if we talk about a lethal dose of tablets, the list should open with psychostimulants as the substances most often and almost guaranteed to cause death.
  • Hallucinogenic drugs (also called psychedelic drugs) are used in the field of psychiatry, in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and some other diseases. They are also used by drug addicts for a narcotic change in consciousness - the so-called “expansion”, transformation of the perception of reality. In case of overdose, they cause hallucinations, loss of orientation in space and sensitivity to pain, lack of control over events (helplessness), convulsions and coma. A fatal effect can also occur when combined with alcohol.

An overdose of which pills can cause death, if we talk about a group of drugs sold in pharmacies without a prescription? Their security is only apparent. It is the availability of these drugs that leads to the fact that they are often the cause of fatal poisoning. What pills can you die from, mistakenly considering them safe?

  • Preparations based on aspirin, which a couple of decades ago was considered a universal cure for everything, and its creators even received a Nobel Prize in the early 80s of the last century, are extremely dangerous for children, causing them Reye's syndrome (destruction of liver cells), provoking asthmatic syndrome or gastric bleeding due to blood thinning.
  • Drugs containing paracetamol, in large overdoses, cause severe intoxication of the entire body, liver damage and death of brain cells.
  • “Light” analgin-based painkillers with a large overdose cause a drop in pressure, shortness of breath and tachycardia, convulsions and even paralysis of the respiratory centers, hemorrhagic syndrome and impaired consciousness. In severe cases, death is also possible.
  • Vitamins can also be deadly - and here children are primarily at risk, since careless adults often leave vitamins unattended, believing that there can be no harm from them. This is a dangerous delusion, since exceeding the maximum permissible doses Taking some vitamins, especially repeatedly, can cause internal bleeding or stroke, increased intracranial pressure, liver damage, and some vitamins in large doses are carcinogenic because they disrupt DNA and provoke the formation of tumors. Therefore, no vitamins should be taken uncontrolled; one should not naively believe that “the more, the better.” And even more so, they should not be left unattended in a house where there are small children. Like any medicine, vitamins can be both medicine and poison, sometimes very potent.
  • “Heart” drugs - drugs intended for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases (cardiac glycosides) - they have saved many lives. But in case of an overdose, they lower blood pressure, cause convulsions, disorders of the nervous system (hallucinations, overexcitation), suppress the respiratory centers and disrupt the rhythm of the heart, which can be fatal.
  • Iodine-containing preparations began to be sold en masse in pharmacies after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant as protection against radiation. The sad experience of those years shows that even a slight overdose of iodine in the body is an extremely unpleasant thing, fraught with a decrease in muscle tone, disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, nervous system and heart (tachycardia and slowing down the rhythm of contractions until it stops). Well, if the dose is greatly exceeded, it causes denaturation of proteins in the body and its irreversible death.

What to do if you overdose on pills?

If you are faced with the need to urgently provide first aid to a victim of an overdose, it is important to know the following:

  • The first thing you need to do is immediately call ambulance.
  • Before her arrival, if the person is unconscious, turn him on his side - many drugs can provoke vomiting, and it is necessary to ensure the safety of the respiratory system so that the person does not choke on vomit.
  • Inspect the scene of the incident, hand over to doctors or criminologists all the found drug packaging - this will make it easier to make a diagnosis and allow you to administer the necessary antidote.
  • If the victim is conscious, an urgent gastric lavage is necessary (give more liquid and press on the root of the tongue), and then take adsorbents (activated carbon, polysorb, etc.) to at least partially bind and remove toxins.

Preventative measures and prophylaxis

Overdose of medications is a condition that is much easier to prevent than to cure, so it is important to remember and be sure to follow simple rules for the prevention of severe and fatal poisoning:

  • Self-medication often ends tragically, especially if your health is not excellent and there is some kind of chronic serious disorder. Any new drug that you want to “try,” or a medicine that “helped your neighbor well,” may not be compatible with your diagnosis, or even be completely contraindicated: without knowledge in the field of medicine, you may not even know about it. Therefore, there is no amateur activity; before using any medications, you must consult a doctor. In this sense, Western countries have a very thoughtful approach: without prescriptions in Europe and the USA, only bandages and cotton wool are available, and this is correct. We draw your attention to the fact that a “consultation with a doctor” is precisely a consultation with a certified physician, and preferably with your doctor, who knows the specifics of your condition. Ask the girl pharmacist at the pharmacy: “Do you think this medicine will suit me?” - this is NOT a consultation with a doctor, but frivolity, because she simply does not have enough qualifications to be responsible for your life.
  • If it is impossible to get advice for some reason, read the instructions very carefully, especially the part that is devoted to contraindications, compatibility with other drugs and the consequences of an overdose of tablets. Every word there is written by someone's real suffering, and even lives - please do not ignore this information! It is not the pharmaceutical company that is playing it safe, but real people who had unpleasant consequences exactly as described in the annotation, and there is no guarantee that you will not find yourself in their place.
  • Never try to treat children, especially very young children, with medications intended for adults. If you divide the tablet into several parts, this does not mean at all that the issue is resolved. Children may not have the enzymes that regulate the absorption of the drug, as is the case with aspirin, which is strictly prohibited for use by children in any doses. Also, in addition to aspirin, there is a long series of drugs that are never prescribed to children under at least 5-6 years of age: this must be written in the annotation for the drug, and this point should in no case be ignored. Moreover, all processes in a child’s body occur rapidly, much faster and more intensely than in adults, and you may not even have time to provide help.
  • Don't ignore doctor's orders! The order of taking medications and the time of prescription are not the whims of doctors, so if they have prescribed a treatment regimen for you, strictly adhere to it. It would seem - what relation can a fatal outcome have to taking, say, antihistamines? Is it possible to get seriously poisoned by taking pills for some harmless allergy? It turns out that death is quite possible if you violate the order not to drive while taking these drugs: they cause drowsiness and significantly reduce the reaction rate, which can end tragically while driving.
  • Do not keep medications purchased a long time ago in your medicine cabinet, and periodically audit it, throwing out everything that is expired. All medications have an expiration date, which was also invented for a reason: even if the active substance does not change its properties over time and does not become toxic, it simply becomes much less effective, and we are tempted to increase the dose so that it finally helps ( Moreover, the medicine seems to be familiar and has never caused problems). This is especially dangerous in the case of potent drugs, where the lethal dose of tablets is not so high.
  • All tablets are washed down with regular clean water. Neither juices (containing acids), nor milk (often neutralizing the active substances), much less coffee or alcohol with their properties that stimulate the nervous system, are suitable for this. The same goes for strong tea (containing tannin and caffeine, which stimulate the nervous system and stress the heart), and any sweet carbonated drinks that contain a whole chemical laboratory in their composition: preservatives, dyes, flavor enhancers, etc.
  • Never combine the use of any, especially potent and sedative drugs, with the use of alcohol: alcoholic drinks, even what you think are “harmless” (in fact, they simply do not exist) can provoke cardiac dysfunction, respiratory arrest, loss of consciousness - sometimes even to death.

Be careful with the use and storage of absolutely any medications, value your life and health!

Comments and reviews:

All medications must be used strictly according to the instructions, or as prescribed by the doctor. This is especially true for children and the elderly, whose bodies are more vulnerable. Once, during an overdose of anaprilin, a friend of mine almost had a cardiac arrest - they barely saved her. Although she took this medicine for a long time. Now I’m even wary of vitamins.

I need to show my husband the article, otherwise he drinks analgin when necessary and when he can do without it, and even 2 tablets at a time.

But I had a case with a child, he was taken in an ambulance and diagnosed with asthma, and prescribed an antipyretic based on aspirin. I remember I screamed when I read the summary and they replaced it with something else. That's why doctors were so negligent about the fact that aspirin can cause an asthmatic attack and prescribed it to an asthmatic? Maybe in some cases it’s possible and I was nervous for nothing?

Your questions are answered

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Which pills can cause a fatal overdose?

There are cases when, after taking one tablet of a particular drug, the condition cannot be improved. Sometimes you need to increase the dose several times to the maximum. But this may not always help; in some cases it can cause harm, and very much so.

If you take strong drugs uncontrollably, this causes complications, and sometimes a person can die. Which pills, in case of overdose, will not only cause intoxication, but can be fatal?

Rules for the use of medications

The older a person gets, the weaker his body becomes. He is no longer so resilient and strong, so many organs need help.

The organs of the digestive tract and cardiovascular system are usually affected.

That is why elderly people saturate their bodies not only with food, but also with medicines. The number of tablets consumed sometimes amounts to tens.

However, there is one big problem that every elderly person can have - memory loss. Losing memory for some time can have serious consequences.

A person may simply forget whether he took the necessary medications in the morning, so blood pressure medications or medications that help lower blood sugar can be taken several times. Often such short-term memory loss has disastrous consequences.

An overdose of which drugs can cause death?

There are several groups of medications that are especially dangerous for humans.

To prevent a person from dying when consuming them, you must adhere to the following rules:

  1. Even at a young age, when memory is good, it is recommended to draw up a schedule for the use of medications, especially if the treatment regimen is not simple and involves the use of several medications.
  2. The lethal dose of the drug is individual for each person. One person can take 3-4 tablets and will not have any problems, but another person will take that amount and the consequences will be serious.
  3. Death from a drug overdose can also occur when the amount of drug in the blood is low, if the activity of the liver, kidneys or heart muscle is impaired.
  4. There are some medications that should not be taken together. Although they are safe individually, together they can disrupt each other’s work and become very dangerous.
  5. You can increase the amount of medication only after talking with your doctor. Under no circumstances should you make such decisions yourself.

Let's list some groups of medications that can cause death from an overdose.

Drugs that affect the heart

Medicines show a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels:

  • Reduce heart rate;
  • Increases heart contraction;
  • Improves blood circulation;
  • Provides a diuretic effect.

The therapeutic effect is provided in the case of the correct dosage, as well as in the absence of certain heart rhythm disturbances.

Death from an overdose of such drugs can occur if more than 10 doses of one of these drugs are taken, or if an abnormal heart rhythm occurs.

In case of overdose, the following symptoms appear:

  • Abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, which may alternate with constipation.
  • A person may have a severe headache, hallucinations and delusions;
  • Insomnia and increased excitement on the part of the nervous system occur;
  • A convulsive syndrome occurs, blood pressure decreases, and respiratory function is impaired;
  • Changes heart rate.

Sleeping pills

If you take sleeping pills incorrectly, it can also be fatal.

If a person takes one tablet and does not get the desired result, he wants to take another one. And the number of such uncontrolled uses can be repeated many times.

But this is very dangerous, because in this case the functioning of the heart muscle, respiratory organs, kidneys is disrupted, and a depressing effect on the nervous system occurs.

Symptoms of an overdose of sleeping pills:

  • A person becomes drowsy, an apathetic state occurs, and hearing decreases.
  • After this, the pupils become narrow, the eyelids droop, salivary fluid begins to be produced in increased quantities, and the pulse becomes rare.
  • Next, a superficial coma occurs, the pupillary reflex, the cough reflex, and the swallowing reflex are dulled.
  • Breathing is impaired - it is rare, the pupils dilate.
  • After some time, swelling occurs, hemorrhages occur on the skin, and the lungs and mucous membranes are affected.
  • A prolonged coma has the following complications - inflammation of the skin, development of acute kidney failure, swelling of the lungs.

If the permissible dose of sleeping pills is increased 10 times, this will lead to death.

Drugs that affect the nervous system

Neuroleptics and tranquilizers are also dangerous drugs. Persons who use these drugs should be supervised by relatives.

The dose that can lead to death varies from person to person. Absorption of medications from the gastrointestinal tract occurs very quickly and are excreted from the body by the intestines and kidneys.

  • A person becomes drowsy, lethargic, muscle weakness appears, and hearing deteriorates;
  • The head and limbs may tremble, tremor appears, and convulsive syndrome may also be present.
  • The activity of the cardiovascular system is disrupted - the heart rhythm is disrupted, the heart begins to beat more often, and blood pressure drops sharply.
  • Collapse appears, respiratory function is impaired, and the lungs swell.

An overdose of such drugs, which can cause death, occurs when antihistamine tablets and alcohol are used together in large quantities. Such medications have a powerful effect on the nervous system, and together with alcohol, the effect on human body can be fatal.

What to do in case of drug overdose

The first step is to seek help from medical professionals. The patient must be hospitalized in the intensive care unit.

While you wait for paramedics to arrive, you can provide first aid to the injured person. Gastric lavage should be performed and consumed Activated carbon(if the person is conscious).

conclusions

Life-threatening drugs are usually those that affect the nervous system and cardiovascular system.

Under no circumstances should you self-prescribe treatment with such drugs. Each medicine, as well as the required dosage, should be prescribed by an experienced doctor.

To avoid any complications, you must strictly follow the recommendations of the doctor who prescribed the medications, because the cost of increasing the dose may be too high.

The information on the site is provided by qualified doctors and is for informational purposes only. Don't self-medicate! Contact your doctor!

Lethal dose of pills

Lethal dose of pills

Video: DEADLY DOSES OF COMMON THINGS TOP 5

Almost every instruction for the use of a particular drug contains an “Overdose” clause, which indicates the consequences that threaten the patient if the drug is “too much.”

As a rule, the lethal dose of the tablets is not indicated there. However, it is necessary to know about this, if only so that in case of accidental ingestion, you can correctly identify the symptoms of poisoning and provide first aid.

There are interesting statistics, albeit for America, but this is not the point. In this country, literally every 19 minutes, one person dies due to overdosing on medications.

The problem of taking lethal doses of pills is quite common today. After all, for poisoning to occur, you need a dose only 10 times higher than normal. Thus, the lethal dose of Phenazepam tablets, a popular tranquilizer, is 10 mg.

a dose just 10 times higher than normal is lethal

The figure for children and the elderly is two times less.

There are a number of reasons for overdoses, among which an important one is people’s love for self-medication. This is also predisposed by the fact that many medications - and by no means harmless ones - are sold in pharmacies without a prescription.

A person can take lethal pills consciously, wanting to commit suicide. But more often it happens that this happens either due to absent-mindedness, or in case of non-compliance with the recommended rules of administration. A similar nuisance can happen to a child who discovers a package of pills and decides to try them like candy. Be that as it may, the person must be saved and done as quickly as possible.

the lethal dose of Phenazepam tablets, a popular tranquilizer, is 10 mg

How to determine an overdose?

If the patient has taken an increased dose of pills, the body’s reaction will not be unambiguous: it depends on various factors, including gender and age. The disease for which a particular drug is prescribed, as well as possible concomitant ailments, also play a role.

Of course, the symptoms will also depend on the type of pills taken - what properties and mechanism of action they have. Among the brightest and most frequently encountered are the following:

  • overdose may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting;
  • the patient may feel dizzy;
  • often the condition is aggravated by abdominal pain and stool upset;
  • the appearance of seizures is observed;
  • poisoning of this kind threatens depression and respiratory arrest;
  • vision is impaired;
  • Hallucinations occur.

Video: Dose Required to Death

overdose may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting

Such reactions, in particular, can be caused by paracetamol, a very popular antipyretic and analgesic medicine. The lethal dose of paracetamol in tablets, according to various sources, ranges from 50 to 75 pieces. If we express this in grams, then the figure will be: 10–15 g. But even when taking more than 20 tablets, big troubles are guaranteed. Thus, the occurrence of acute liver failure can also be added to the reactions described above. In such a situation, if you do not immediately consult a doctor, the only way to save the person within 24 hours is with a liver transplant.

The whole body, as a result of “overdosing” with paracetamol, slowly but surely decomposes, and after a week and a half it can be stated: an overdose of tablets has occurred with a fatal outcome.

The lethal dose of paracetamol in tablets, according to various sources, ranges from 50 to 75 pieces

The very first aid

Help provided “hot on the heels” can literally save a person’s life. But, nevertheless, if an overdose of pills occurs, what to do before starting any action is to first call an ambulance or call a poison control center and get advice. To do this, you need to know the name of the medicine that the patient took, when approximately this happened, as well as the age of the victim.

activated carbon is an excellent adsorbent that can quickly neutralize medication

  • First aid for an overdose of tablets before the ambulance arrives will be to rinse the victim’s stomach, causing him to vomit, and thereby preventing the drug from being absorbed into the mucous membranes. This measure is applicable, of course, if the patient is not unconscious, and is especially effective in the first half hour after taking a large dose of medication, but not more than two hours.
  • In any case, after gastric lavage, an overdose will not interfere with activated carbon - an excellent adsorbent that can quickly neutralize the medication. Charcoal tablets must first be crushed, and four tablespoons of powder should be diluted in a glass of water. To neutralize a lethal dose of pills for humans, in particular, aspirin or sleeping pills, 10 grams of activated carbon is enough.
  • To combat the effects of sleeping pills or sedatives, you can use regular tea, which contains substances that excite the nervous system.

How to induce vomiting?

Although the symptoms of an overdose of some drugs include vomiting, you should not wait for this to happen by itself, since the drug will already have time to be absorbed, and rinsing in this case is unlikely to help.

dry mustard solution is effective in inducing vomiting

Vomiting can be induced in several ways.

  • An effective solution of dry mustard or salt is to drink at least three glasses, diluting two teaspoons of powder or salt per glass.
  • You can give the victim a soap solution to drink.
  • Pressing your palm on the upper abdomen can also cause vomiting.
  • And the classic version is “two fingers in the mouth”, i.e. put your finger down the throat of an overdose victim.

We must remember, so to speak, about safety precautions: so that the patient does not choke on vomit, vomiting must be induced by laying him on his side or sitting with his head tilted forward.

Video: TOP 5 Lethal Doses of Common Substances

Poisoning can be avoided

I would like to once again quote the usual phrase from the instructions for using medications: store in a place inaccessible to children. And since we are talking about children, it makes sense to remind you of the necessary precautions.

Medicines should be stored out of the reach of children

  • Be sure to check whether you are giving the right drug to your child. After all, by any chance, the required pills in the package may turn out to be completely different.
  • It is strictly not recommended to call it delicious candy when persuading a child to take a pill.
  • Children's medicines in liquid form usually come with a dropper or measuring spoon. You need to use only them, then the possibility of an overdose will simply be excluded.

Video: TOP 10 UNSUCCESSFUL SUICIDES - Interesting facts

Be sure to read the contents of the leaflet before taking it

To the question: “What pills can cause death overdose?” – didn’t arise at all, you need to adopt a few simple rules. So,

  • Before you start taking prescribed medications, you should definitely read the contents of the package insert, paying special attention to side effects.
  • Follow the recommendations of the doctor who prescribed this or that medicine.
  • If you have received a prescription from different specialists, you should consult with your therapist regarding the compatibility of the prescribed drugs. In case of uncertainty or uncertainty, it is better to stop at some safe analogue.
  • If several medications are prescribed, then different tablets are taken separately, and not all in one handful.
  • No economic considerations should force you to take expired medications.
  • Observe the rules and storage conditions: temperature, light, moisture, etc. In particular, it is not recommended to keep pills in the bathroom cabinet, no matter how ideally designed it is for this purpose.

An overdose of which pills can cause death?

Almost all of us are faced with taking medications every day, but we don’t think about which pills an overdose can cause the death of a person. Though modern medicine reached high level development, do not blindly take medications. It should be remembered that there are no completely safe tablets. If taken incorrectly, even beneficial vitamins can cause an overdose.

Self-medication is dangerous. It can lead to completely unpredictable results. Before going to the pharmacy, you should consult with a specialist - he will select the right medicine and prescribe a safe dose. Remember that preventing an overdose is much easier than eliminating its consequences.

Among the dangerous drugs are not only antidepressants, but also drugs such as aspirin and sleeping pills (for example, Donormil). There are also many cases of exceeding the dose of analgin. There is also a lethal dose of diphenhydramine - 40 mg for a person who is not resistant to the drug and 100 mg for a person who is resistant.

Lethal doses of tablets

In order to protect yourself and your loved ones, you should know which pills an overdose can cause death, and correctly calculate their safe doses.

In what doses do you take phenazepam?

The dose of phenazepam recommended for use is 0.5 m. It is contained in one tablet. The lethal dose of phenazepam starts from 0.5 g, that is, when taking 10 tablets. For pregnant women, this bar may be even lower. Its side effects greatly affect the brain and nervous system.

What happens if you drink hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is common folk remedy from many diseases. Most often it is recommended for the treatment of thrush. However, not everyone knows what actually happens to the body if you drink hydrogen peroxide. It turns out that it is actually more harmful than beneficial.

Taking more than 75 ml of the drug orally can cause death. Ingestion of hydrogen peroxide during pregnancy carries a double danger.

Hydrogen peroxide is indicated for external use only. However, there are situations when a person has already drunk hydrogen peroxide. What to do in this case? First of all, you shouldn’t hope that the illness will go away on its own. A quick visit to a specialist is the key to a speedy recovery.

If a child drinks hydrogen peroxide, you should immediately call an ambulance. Determine exactly how much of the drug the baby swallowed and report this information to the doctors. Try to prevent such situations in the future, put the first aid kit out of reach and carefully monitor children if they approach it.

Why you shouldn't drink a lot of sleeping pills

Those who take sedatives and sleeping pills should be careful and careful - their overdose can also be fatal. Most often this happens due to negligence. A person exposed to long-term stress factors tends to calm down and fall asleep, unnoticed by taking the usual medicine in too large quantities.

Is it possible to drink Donormil in large quantities?

Donormil is a drug that is often prescribed to patients with various sleep disorders. The lethal dose of sleeping pills is purely individual and can start from as little as two tablets. Under no circumstances should you drink Donormil without a doctor’s recommendation, or increase the daily dose yourself. Donormil is not compatible with alcoholic drinks, like most drugs that affect the nervous system.

What happens if you exceed the dose of paracetamol

Surprisingly, the cause of death can be an overdose of even the most seemingly safe drugs. Ordinary household paracetamol is mortal danger if you take too large a dose. First, the liver suffers, then the gradual death of brain cells begins.

The lethal dose of paracetamol is 20 mg, but it is highly recommended not to take more than 4 mg per day.

Often, patients suffering from high fever start taking several cold powders at a time. And at the same time they forget that they previously drank paracetamol in tablets. But this is a sure way to exceed the dosage.

Lethal dose of amitriptyline in tablets with alcohol

Antidepressants are those medications that should never be taken in combination with alcohol. In this case, alcohol greatly increases the side effects of the drug, inhibits brain activity, and increases the likelihood of liver cirrhosis.

If you drink alcohol, taking amitriptyline is highly not recommended. Even with a zero blood alcohol level, the lethal dose of amitriptyline for a person is 12 mg. Taking 5 mg of amitriptyline will lead to severe poisoning.

Dangerous aspirin. Lethal dose of analgin

Medicines such as analgin and aspirin also have their own dosages.

Taking 500 mg or more of aspirin per 1 kg of body weight can cause death. The normal dose in which you can take aspirin without fear for your health is up to 3 grams per day.

You should not take more than 1 gram of analgin per dose and 3 grams per day. Consuming just 5 grams of analgin can lead to inhibition of vital body functions and death. A safe dose of analgin is 3 grams per day and 1 gram per dose.

First aid for poisoning

A person who witnesses a drug overdose should take quick and decisive action. Here is an exact list of what you need to do to provide first aid for drug poisoning:

  1. The first thing to do is call an ambulance as quickly as possible. Give the exact address, describe the situation and symptoms. Specialists will take the victim to the intensive care unit.
  2. Try to establish which drug caused the poisoning and how many tablets the patient took. Perhaps this will be indicated by empty medicine boxes or plates.
  3. Make every effort to ensure that the victim is conscious for the ambulance to arrive. Under no circumstances leave him alone or leave him alone.
  4. Provide plenty of fluids.
  5. If the patient is conscious, you can perform gastric lavage. However, these actions are contraindicated if bloody or dark vomit is observed.

Possible consequences

The consequences of an overdose are individual in each individual case. They greatly depend on how quickly the person received medical help, what medicine was taken, and how much the dosage was exceeded. In many cases, death can be avoided.

There are situations when people who suffered from a drug overdose quickly returned to working condition without any consequences for the body. However, most often, taking lethal doses of pills causes irreversible consequences for all organs and systems, especially the brain, liver, kidneys and heart.

Video about the dangers of drugs for children

Medicines taken uncontrollably cause the greatest harm to a child’s body. Therefore, it is so important to remove even harmless tablets as far as possible from the hands of children. To understand the danger of such intoxication, watch the video.

It is known that approximately a quarter of all victims in the world are people who were poisoned by pills. The situations can be very different. Perhaps the person immediately turned to some specialists who prescribed him certain drugs. The interaction of some of them can cause poisoning from the pills. The more medications you take at the same time, the higher the risk of poisoning becomes. Sometimes grandparents leave bottles of pills in visible places, creating a health hazard for children who mistake them for colorful candies. Sometimes cases of suicide are possible.

Doctors indicate that the risk is minimal when taking two or three drugs at the same time, but it increases twenty or more times if there are six or seven drugs. In such cases, a wide variety of adverse effects on the body can be expected. After poisoning, the stomach hurts, there is a feeling of nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and internal hemorrhages are possible. In some particularly serious situations, death is possible.

Most of the population the globe takes certain medications daily. Thirty percent do it as prescribed by a doctor, the rest engage in dangerous self-medication. Poisoning from pills is also possible if they are combined with certain products. For example, warfarin, a drug against blood clots, should absolutely not be used simultaneously with cranberry juice. Dairy products affect the effect of antibiotics, alcohol greatly increases the effect of sedatives, drugs with paracetamol and antihypertensive (pressure-lowering) drugs on the body.

What to do if you are poisoned by pills? Unfortunately, poisoning from pills cannot always be determined immediately. Only after several hours may the first symptoms appear in the form of nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, cramps, dizziness, drowsiness, disorientation, and in some cases, loss of consciousness. During this time, harmful substances have time to be absorbed into the blood, so the first thing you need to do is call an ambulance. The victim should be allowed to drink as much warm liquid as possible and try to induce vomiting. This will help clear your stomach of any remaining medications. The first remedy in such situations is activated carbon. It should always be in your home medicine cabinet. You can give up to twenty tablets at a time. They will help neutralize the effects of medications. You can use any other type of absorbent, but if they are not at hand at the moment, make it yourself. To do this, take at least ten chicken whites, beat them vigorously and force the victim to eat them.

What to do in case of poisoning with pills and complications of the situation? If the victim has taken a large dose of sleeping pills, loss of consciousness, breath holding, decreased blood pressure, and cardiac arrest may occur. Immediately give the patient a large dose of strong coffee or tea, try to bring him to consciousness, induce vomiting (only when he is conscious), give him an enema and call an ambulance. Do not let the victim lie down and sleep, as this is life-threatening.

Poisoning from pills, after first aid, gastric lavage and elimination of all unpleasant symptoms and consequences, must be continued to be treated at home. Quite often after poisoning, the stomach hurts. This situation is stressful for him, so he needs to be allowed to rest for one or two days. You can drink tea from garden thyme, sage and garden marjoram. Gradually switch to light foods and take them in small portions. You can apply cold compresses to the stomach area.

One of the main causes of poisoning is exceeding permissible doses, so remember that different drugs may contain the same substance in their composition. Always consult your doctor, especially if you have liver, kidney, stomach or intestinal diseases. Do not self-medicate and refrain from drinking alcohol.


Reckless and uncontrolled use of medications can lead to serious consequences: from side effects and allergic reactions to serious poisoning of the body. It wouldn’t hurt anyone to know how you can help in such trouble if you happen to be nearby.

Symptoms of poisoning and first aid

Firstly, different drugs act differently, therefore, the symptoms of poisoning and its consequences will differ. However, some points are common to all types of poisoning. First of all, this is drowsiness, which can smoothly turn into loss of consciousness and coma. In this case, the person may not be saved.

The most common poisoning is cardiovascular drugs. When a regularly high dose of these drugs is taken, they accumulate in the body, and then a toxic effect develops very quickly. This poisoning can manifest itself as arrhythmia, tachycardia, headache, hallucinations and visual impairment. Before the ambulance arrives, you can give the patient activated charcoal and drink as much salted water as possible in order to quickly remove harmful substances from the body, causing vomiting.

If you suspect drug poisoning, immediately begin to rinse your stomach and call an ambulance.

The most dangerous is poisoning with sedatives - barbiturates. Their list is quite wide, including antidepressants, antipsychotics, sleeping pills and narcotic drugs. In case of an overdose, the processes of brain activity slow down, patients lose consciousness and fall into a coma.

If you find yourself at the scene of a tragedy and the patient is unconscious, first of all call an ambulance, then turn him over on his stomach and turn his head to the side so that there is no difficulty breathing due to a possible gag reflex. If the person is conscious, it is necessary to give him as much salted water as possible and try to induce vomiting. These are the basic rules that everyone should know. More serious actions cannot be taken until the ambulance team arrives. It is very easy to harm a patient due to inexperience.

Find and save until the doctor arrives the packaging of the pills with which the person was poisoned. This will help doctors give the correct antidote in time.

What you should absolutely not do

You can't do nothing. Do not leave a person in this state, even if it is alcohol or drug intoxication. Remember that without timely help, the patient may die.

In order to avoid unexpectedly ending up in such a situation, you do not need to self-medicate, it is better to consult a doctor and strictly follow the prescribed dosage medicines.

What to do in case of drug poisoning

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What to do in case of drug poisoning

The main anti-poisoning tablets are adsorbents. The drugs bind toxins directly in the intestines, preventing their absorption into the blood. Adsorbent-toxin complexes are excreted along with feces.

Modern options are enterosgel, polysorb, natural fiber, quinine, starch. Only with the help of these data can the remedy quickly cure poisoning.

Food poisoning: what pills to take

In case of food poisoning, you should drink enterosorbents. This group of drugs is the best choice for gastrointestinal intoxication. In medical language, such therapy should be called “withdrawal”. The origin of the term is explained by the basic mechanism of action of drugs. When taking the current dose (7-9 tablets of activated carbon at a time with a small amount of water), complete removal of the toxic substance through the intestines with feces is ensured. You just need to take the drug in a timely manner - no later than the first hour after eating.

Use activated carbon correctly. At low absorbent concentrations, the toxic compound is not completely bound. Some of the substance enters the blood, which forms signs of poisoning. The severity of symptoms is determined by the concentration of the toxin. The dose of the drug is calculated per 10 kg, 1 tablet. With an average human weight of 80 kg, 8 tablets of activated carbon are required. When taken, they are ground into powder and washed down with a small amount of liquid (no more than 250 ml).

Food poisoning occurs not only when using low-quality food products. The danger is bacterial contamination. Salmonellosis, diphtheria, gastroenteritis due to the consumption of E. coli are the most common manifestations of toxic infections. The condition is treated not only with adsorbents, but also with antibiotics.

For 10-15 days you need to take no more than 7 grams of activated carbon. It is better to take the dose in several doses.

Activated carbon can be used not only at the first signs of poisoning. At the recovery stage after intoxication, 2 tablets are prescribed one hour before meals. The daily dose is calculated by weight. The concentration of the drug gradually decreases.

The duration of treatment should depend on the characteristics of food poisoning. In case of chronic intoxication, it is necessary to exclude the provoking factor. Against this background, preventive therapy is rational.


In case of alcohol poisoning, activated carbon is the best remedy to restore the functionality of the body. Partygoers or people whose work requires frequent visits to restaurants know that it is enough to drink 4-5 tablets of this adsorbent before the party to reduce the absorption of alcohol.

Polysorb for food poisoning

Polysorb is a new direction in the treatment of intestinal intoxications. Silicon based product. It has a bluish color and a powder consistency. It is convenient to take the medicine by diluting it in water. Taking the medicine together with sugar syrup for diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea is not recommended.

The drug copes well with psoriasis, food intoxication, and bronchial asthma. Kidney and liver failure, allergies are secondary conditions that often occur with intoxication intestinal syndrome. For combined nosology, enterosgel with antihistamines is recommended.

Enterosgel is an absorbent tablet that comes into contact with harmful substances in the body. Quickly and firmly bind to toxins. They are excreted in 6-7 hours with feces.

Other popular sorbents for food poisoning:

Sorbex; Carbolene; Carbolong; Sorbolong; Atoxyl; Chitosan.

For food intoxication syndrome, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, it is rational to consume large amounts of water. Among pharmaceutical preparations, rehydron is recommended for the purpose of reabsorption of fluid from the intestines. The medicine maintains the required level of circulating blood.

To eliminate reflex nausea due to food intoxication, validol is recommended. The beneficial effect of the medicine is achieved due to menthol, which is part of the medicine.

If you are vomiting, you should drink motilium, phthalazole, sulgin, furazolidone 20 minutes before meals.

Diarrhea is treated by taking rice porridge, which binds the liquid contents of the intestines.

Tablets for poisoning and diarrhea

Consider pills for poisoning and diarrhea:

Carbolene - 0.5 grams 3-4 times a day. Indicated for constipation, diarrhea, disturbances in the flow of nutrients into the blood; Sorbex – take capsules 2-3 three times a day. Long-term use causes constipation and diarrhea; Carbolen is taken 6-8 grams three times a day. Diarrhea, constipation, deficiency of substances are the main indications for use; Polyphepan - 1 gram per kilogram of weight. If you take the medicine for more than 20 days, a deficiency of minerals and electrolytes occurs; Smecta – daily dose 9 grams. Take 3-4 doses; Sorbolong – capsules of 30-40 grams. Should not be taken in case of renal and hepatic insufficiency due to the rapid onset of feelings of disgust; Atoxil - taken at the rate of 1 kilogram per 150 grams of weight. The required amount should be divided into 3-4 doses. The dose is increased if the person’s condition is serious.

When deciding which tablets to take in case of poisoning, you should choose directly from the above groups. The most common option is activated carbon at the rate of 1 tablet per 10 kilograms of weight. Acute intoxication syndrome requires provoking vomiting. It is stimulated by applying pressure on the tip of the tongue and taking mustard powder. Toxic infection should be treated by gastric lavage with potassium permanganate, taking a binding compound, and chamomile decoction.

The recovery stage after acute intoxication is accompanied by a weakness of the body's defenses. Against this background, active treatment is not required. Probiotics are often prescribed to normalize colon flora and prevent the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria.

What tablets to take when vomiting after poisoning

Vomiting after food poisoning occurs due to dysregulation of the nerve circuit. Impact on the central or peripheral parts helps prevent active contraction of the stomach. Astringents, enveloping agents, and anesthetics have a similar effect due to local blockade of nerve receptors.

The activity of the vomiting center and the prevention of the activity of the chemoreceptor trigger zone is achieved by the use of neurotropic drugs. H1 histamine receptor blockers, muscarinic (cholinergic), antiserotonin drugs block the effectiveness of nerve conduction.

Serotonin receptor blockers play an important role in preventing vomiting and nausea. When vomiting, the effect of tropisetron, ondansetron, metoclopramide is ensured by inhibition of D2, 5HT3 receptors.

Anticholinergics eliminate vomiting more effectively when used in combination with H1-antihistamines (promethazine, diphenhydramine). Used for Meniere's disease. Butyrophenone and phenothiazine are dopaminergic drugs from the group of antipsychotics.

High antiemetic activity is achieved with the use of thiethylperazine, trifluoperazine, prochlorperazine, perphenazine, and haloperidol.

A sample list of medical antiemetic pills:

Avioplant; Bimaral; Bonin; Validol; Granisetron; Vero; Domstal; Kytril; Latran; Cormenthol; Ondansetron; Domperidone; Cormenthol; Metamol; Metoclopramide; Motizhekt; Motilium; Levomenthol; Motilak; Peppermint; Notyrol; Navobane; Ondator.

When vomiting, you can drink not only pharmaceutical adsorbents. Before the development of these anti-poisoning agents, intestinal intoxication was treated with natural sorbents. An important feature in the correction of gastrointestinal disorders is the normalization of the diet.

Natural sorbents for poisoning:

Pectin - found in cabbage, beets, strawberries, grapes, peaches, gooseberries; Fiber: prunes, nuts, cereals, eggplant; Siberian cedar is the progenitor of polyphepan. The remedy eliminates allergic reactions; Chitin; Cellulose.

Chitin and cellulose are pharmaceutical tablets made on the basis of natural ingredients.

Pills for alcohol poisoning: torpedo, esperal, teturam

The main active ingredient in alcohol poisoning pills is disulfiram. When alcohol is combined with this chemical compound, unpleasant sensations arise:

Dizziness; Profuse sweating; Rash on the body; Abdominal pain; severe vomiting; Fear of death.

Based on the emergence discomfort after drinking alcohol, the mechanism of action of such drugs as esperal, torpedo is based.

An unpleasant prognostic sign is the independent use of drugs for alcoholism.

Esperal contains disulfiram. Administered intramuscularly or taken orally. When combined with ethyl alcohol, a person develops alcohol poisoning for a long time.

Teturam (tetlong 250) acts for a long time by blocking the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. The medication is taken on an empty stomach. The average daily dose of the drug at an early stage is 500 mg. It is prescribed individually according to the patient’s weight and age parameters. Therapy begins with the maximum dosage of the drug, and then gradually decreases.

Teturam can not only be taken orally. There are methods for subcutaneously implanting a tablet while a person is in a drug treatment department.

Contraindications to the use of Teturam:

Diabetes; Thyrotoxicosis; Atherosclerosis of cerebral vessels.

Should not be used by persons engaged in production with constant attention strain.


Mechanism of action: blockade of the alcohol dehydrogenase enzyme is accompanied by disruption of processing processes ethyl alcohol. The accumulation of toxic surrogates leads to nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of fear for life.

The drugs described above are prescribed only at the rehabilitation stage after alcohol poisoning. In an acute condition, it is impossible to provoke an exacerbation, as death is possible.

For alcohol poisoning with withdrawal symptoms, the following groups of drugs are recommended:

Proproten 100 – intended for the treatment of withdrawal symptoms in people with severe signs of alcoholism. Indicated for use with treatment of mild, moderate to severe abstinence. Proproten 100 reduces mental syndromes that occur during acute poisoning (irritability, agitation, aggressiveness); Metadoxil - for the treatment of acute alcohol intoxication. Some narcologists use metadoxil tablets to treat chronic alcoholism. Mechanism of action – acceleration of natural cleansing of the body from accumulated toxins, relief hangover syndrome; Tablets based on naloxone hydrochloride (Vivitrol, Prodetoxone, Antaxone, Naltrexone) are indicated for alcohol dependence. Prescribed orally to relieve withdrawal symptoms for the purpose of preliminary detoxification. The success of these medications is determined by the patient's consent.

Many drugs for alcohol poisoning are used only after the patient has approved the therapy. Their use somewhat violates the basic medical law"do no harm". A short-term exacerbation of pathological sensations is carried out to form long-term resistance to alcohol dependence.

Medications for nausea

Prolonged nausea occurs due to irritation of the gastric mucosa by toxins, poor quality food, and chronic inflammation of the gastric wall. To remove toxic substances during long-term intoxication with low levels of alcohol, it is recommended to use natural sorbents: chitin, fiber, cellulose.

Tablets of chitin, cellulose can be purchased at the pharmacy. The drug is used for diabetes mellitus, atherosclerosis. It is prescribed before meals to maximize the binding of toxic compounds.

Cellulose not only neutralizes poisons, but is also a good breeding ground for the reproduction of saprophytic bacteria of the large intestine. It is used to prevent tuberculosis.

Radish; Bananas; Sorrel; Grape; Pears; Apples; Melon; Tomatoes; Rye bread; Beet; Buckwheat; Currant; Pearl barley; Oatmeal; Eggplant; Pumpkin.

If natural sorbents do not help with nausea, it is rational to prescribe pharmaceutical drugs (metoclopramide, cerucal).

It is quite difficult to determine which pills to drink for food, alcohol poisoning at home. To select treatment tactics, it is necessary to study the complex of pathological reactions of the body - this is a task for a specialist.

Properly selected treatment and nutrition are the key to a quick recovery from food poisoning.. This disease is very common, it can be provoked by any food. This article discusses the main medications for food poisoning, the features of their prescription and administration.

Features of the clinical course of food poisoning

Food poisoning can occur due to the consumption of spoiled, expired food, as well as dishes contaminated intestinal infection(salmonellosis, dysentery, E. coli). Symptoms of the disease develop during the first 6 hours. The rate of their increase depends on the cause of the disease, the amount eaten, the condition of the person’s body and his age.

Please note that children, pregnant women and the elderly are more susceptible to food poisoning. They are more susceptible to severe disease and complications.

The main signs of food poisoning include:

nausea followed by vomiting, which brings relief. In the vomit you can see the remains of food eaten, which has not yet had time to be digested. With repeated vomiting, only bile and gastric juice come out; profuse diarrhea. The type and consistency of stool depends on the cause of poisoning. So, with salmonellosis they will be greenish and foamy, and with dysentery they will be watery, streaked with blood. The number of trips to the toilet can exceed 20 times a day. Repeated diarrhea leads to rapid dehydration; hyperthermia - an increase in body temperature. With an intestinal infection, it can rise to 39 degrees. The stronger the intoxication, the higher the temperature; Abdominal pain can be sharp or aching. In case of inflammation of the gastric mucosa, it is localized in the epigastric region of the abdomen, in case of liver damage - in the right hypochondrium. If the pancreas suffers as a result of poisoning, the pain becomes acute and irritating. With increased gas formation, flatulence, intestinal colic is observed; headache, general weakness, dizziness - signs of intoxication syndrome; tachycardia – rapid heartbeat, in which the pulse rate exceeds 100-120 beats/min.

In case of severe poisoning, for example, in the case of eating poisonous varieties of mushrooms, damage to the central nervous system develops. The patient may lose consciousness and enter a deep coma. He may experience hallucinations and seizures (as with epilepsy).

Features of diagnosis and treatment

Only a qualified doctor can diagnose food poisoning and prescribe treatment, after collecting an anamnesis, examining and examining the body.

Remember that treatment for food poisoning can only be prescribed by a doctor. It is prohibited to buy any medicines on your own, at random or on the advice of friends and try to cure yourself at home.

Symptoms of food poisoning are not specific; they are also observed in other pathologies. For example, the flu can begin with fever, vomiting and diarrhea, and abdominal pain and flatulence can be signs of acute pancreatitis.

To determine an accurate diagnosis and prescribe medications, the doctor may need the results of laboratory and instrumental examinations, such as:

general detailed blood test, which necessary to detect intestinal or viral infections, helminthic infestations. Using hematocrit (one of the indicators of this analysis), the degree of dehydration is approximately determined; general analysis urine helps eliminate kidney damage that can occur due to intoxication poisonous mushrooms. Acute pyelonephritis (inflammation of the kidney tissue) may initially manifest as diarrhea and fever; a biochemical blood test helps to identify damage to the kidneys, liver, pancreas, abnormalities in the electrolyte composition of the blood; bacteriological culture of stool is needed to diagnose intestinal infection; ultrasonography internal organs helps to identify inflammation or external changes in the structure and shape of the liver, kidneys, pancreas, and gall bladder.

Treatment of food poisoning in adults and children can occur in a hospital setting or at home. If the patient's condition is stable, he is not hospitalized. The doctor prescribes a diet and treatment that a person should follow at home.

Medications for food poisoning

What remedy for poisoning and diarrhea can I drink to recover and relieve symptoms of the disease? All tablets are prescribed by your doctor; you cannot choose your own medications. The doctor tells the patient in detail what, how often and in what quantity he should take.

You should check with your doctor about the estimated cost of the prescribed medications. As a rule, drugs are produced in different price categories, with the same active ingredients. It happens that inexpensive domestically produced food poisoning tablets work no worse than imported drugs.

Please note that our article is for informational purposes only. Based on it, you cannot decide what medications to take and how to treat poisoning in yourself and your loved ones.

Below are the main groups of drugs for poisoning, which can be used in the treatment.

Sorbents


Sorbents are used in all cases of food poisoning
. They effectively and quickly cleanse the body of toxins and bacteria. Sorbents significantly reduce the intoxication syndrome, reduce the severity of diarrhea. After taking them, nausea subsides, the body temperature may drop slightly during a fever caused by food toxins.

List of drugs in this group:

Activated carbon; atoxyl; polysorb; enterosgel; sorbex; white coal; smecta.

Enzymes

Doctors often recommend taking drugs from the group of enzymes when poisoning occurs. They prescribed to regulate digestion and unload the pancreas. With severe intoxication, it is difficult for the body to digest food on its own. Enzymes are taken with meals. The following drugs can be used:

mezim; Creon; pancreatin; festal; digestal; innozyme

Antispasmodics

Antispasmodics are prescribed to eliminate intestinal colic and abdominal pain. They relieve spasms - the main causes of pain during poisoning, which arise due to increased production of gases and flatulence.

Please note that tablets for stomach pain may be prescribed by a doctor after diagnosis. Relieving pain on your own is dangerous. Some surgical pathologies, such as acute appendicitis, can mimic the symptoms of poisoning. Taking painkillers will blur the clinical picture and complicate the correct diagnosis.

Antispasmodics include the following drugs:

no-shpa; drotaverine; duspatalin; platiphylline.

Antispasmodics can also be used to treat gallbladder dysfunction. They help relieve spasm in the bile ducts and improve the flow of bile.

Painkillers belonging to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (for example, nimesil, diclofenac, analgin), not used in case of poisoning. They irritate the gastric mucosa and can lead to a worsening of the patient's condition.

Antibacterial drugs

Antibiotics are indicated for poisoning and vomiting caused by bacterial intestinal infection. They are prescribed by a doctor after determining the diagnosis and conducting a laboratory examination of the patient.

Please note that antibiotics are effective for poisoning caused by bacteria. Uncontrolled use of these medications can cause serious harm to the body.

Names of antibacterial drugs:

ciprofloxacin; ceftriaxone; norfloxacin; ofloxacin.

It is strictly forbidden to drink alcohol during antibiotic therapy.. Under the influence of alcohol, bacteria become immune to antibacterial drugs.

Antiviral drugs are not prescribed for the treatment of poisoning. They are not effective against intestinal infections.

Antiemetics

Vomiting is a protective reflex of the body, with the help of which the stomach independently cleanses itself of toxins. But in the case of acute food poisoning, vomiting can become profuse and uncontrollable, preventing a person from drinking water and medications. To stop it, antiemetic drugs (metoclopramide, cerucal, sturgeon) can be used.

These are good medicines for nausea. They directly affect the vomiting center, block the urge to vomit. Thanks to them, a person can begin to drink, replenish the loss of fluid.

Preparations for rehydration


The best remedy for poisoning is liquid
. Along with vomiting and diarrhea, the body loses a large amount of water and microelements. In the treatment of dehydration, you can drink plain or mineral water. You can also use powder for poisoning - rehydron. This drug is designed to replenish the body with fluid.

It is used for treatment at home and will replace IVs. If the patient stops vomiting after poisoning, the doctor prescribes rehydron as rehydration therapy. One sachet of rehydron is diluted with a liter of water. You can drink 2-3 liters of this solution per day.

Also available in pharmacies are its analogues: normohydron, re-sol, regesol.

Medicines for heartburn and stomach pain

Acute food poisoning can cause acute or chronic gastritis(inflammation of the gastric mucosa). It manifests itself as heartburn, stomach pain, belching, and indigestion.

To treat gastritis, your doctor may prescribe medications. Some of them should be used only during the onset of symptoms, for example almagel, phosphalugel. They relieve heartburn and quickly improve your well-being.

When gastritis is detected with increased acidity drugs are prescribed to normalize the pH of the stomach (omez, omeprazole, de-nol). They should be taken systemically.

Preparations for normalizing intestinal microflora

Normally, the human intestine is populated by “beneficial” bacteria, which play an important role in digestion and the formation of immunity. In case of poisoning, the bacterial composition is disrupted, dysbacteriosis occurs. Your doctor may prescribe the following medications:

linex (linex); bifiform; bifidumbacterin.

Nutrition in the treatment of poisoning

Dietary nutrition is very important in the treatment of poisoning. It Helps restore the functioning of the digestive system. The list of permitted and prohibited products should be discussed with your doctor. When preparing a diet, you need to take into account the individual characteristics of each patient, his concomitant diseases (for example, diabetes or food allergies).

Below are the basic rules of diet therapy for food poisoning.

During treatment, food should be consumed frequently and in small portions. It is best to eat every 2 hours. The food temperature should be neutral. Hot and cold will irritate the gastric mucosa. It is strictly forbidden to eat fried, spicy and fatty foods, drink alcohol and carbonated drinks. It is best to steam or boil food. After 5-7 days, you can diversify the patient’s diet with stewed or oven-baked dishes. When preparing dishes, you can only use vegetable oil, salt and sugar. Animal fats and hot spices should be avoided during the period of treatment and recovery.

List of permitted products and dishes:

chicken broth prepared without spices; oatmeal, rice and buckwheat porridge cooked in water; boiled vegetables; bananas; baked apples; dried white bread; biscuits; lean varieties of meat and fish.

During treatment, it is forbidden to eat fatty meats, chips, offal, and store-bought convenience foods.. You should also give up coffee, strong tea, freshly squeezed and store-bought juices, chocolate, and confectionery.

Diet and pills for food poisoning are prescribed by your doctor. Self-medication is prohibited. Treatment is selected by the doctor based on examination of the patient, collection of anamnesis and laboratory and instrumental examination. In case of mild poisoning, a person can take medications at home, while following all the recommendations of the attending physician. In addition to taking medications, you need to adhere to dietary nutrition. It helps digestive system recover and start working fully.

Even in ancient times, the physician and philosopher Paracelsus argued that any drug is a poison, only a correctly calculated dose makes it a medicine. Today, the problem of excessive use of medications is very acute - fatal cases are recorded every day all over the world.

What is an overdose and what are its consequences?

Poisoning medicines- This is an extremely dangerous condition that negatively affects health and often leads to death. An overdose of tablets occurs when the norm increases 10 times. For older people and children, this figure is half as much.

Some patients do not even realize that they are taking medications according to the wrong regimen. This situation is very common; it occurs due to a medical error. In such cases, an overdose of tablets does not manifest itself instantly: toxic compounds slowly accumulate in the body, disrupting the functioning of most of its systems. You should also be aware that some medications worsen the course of existing diseases.

Thus, a natural consequence of a drug overdose is a significant deterioration in health (including disability) or death.

Causes

Drug poisoning can occur accidentally or deliberately (for the purpose of suicide).

Unintentional overdose of tablets can occur in the following cases:

  1. Carelessness, non-compliance with the recommendations of the attending physician. For example, the patient forgot how many tablets he needs to take per day, lost the sheet with the specialist’s instructions, etc. Even if the dose is slightly exceeded, alarming symptoms will begin to bother you in a few days.
  2. Memory or vision problems. This situation is typically typical for older people. They may forget that they have already taken the medicine. They also often mistakenly purchase medications with higher dosages. Even if you follow the correct regimen, harmful compounds will still begin to accumulate in the body.
  3. Impatience. Most people strive to get an immediate effect from medications. For example, a single dose of an analgesic did not help cope with a toothache, and a person drinks one or several more in order to quickly improve his health.
  4. Treatment is carried out in different forms the same medicine. For example, if there are problems with the musculoskeletal system, a person takes pills and uses an external remedy, but they contain the same active ingredient.

Deliberate drug poisoning is one of the most common methods of committing suicide. Fortunately, death from an overdose does not occur immediately and a person can be saved if first aid is provided in time.

Risk factors

Exceeding the maximum permissible dose of the drug is the main cause of poisoning.

The occurrence of an overdose is also influenced by the following factors:

  • Body mass. The lower it is, the lower the dose of the drug.
  • Age. An individual approach is needed for all patients, but small children and the elderly require special attention from the doctor when prescribing medications.
  • Kidney and liver diseases. They are responsible for removing drugs from the body. Any malfunctions in their operation lead to the fact that harmful compounds remain in the blood longer than expected. In this case, even if the norm is strictly observed and the dosage regimen is followed, signs of an overdose will appear.

Thus, an individual approach is required for each patient. Any medications should be prescribed taking into account all the characteristics of a person’s health.

Signs of poisoning

Symptoms of overdose depend on the drugs that were taken.

If the norm of a sleeping pill is exceeded, signs of central nervous system inhibition appear:

  • breathing becomes shallow, sometimes stops occur, which then turns into wheezing;
  • sleep flows into unconsciousness.

When poisoning with narcotic drugs appears:

  • weakness;
  • pale skin;
  • the nasolabial triangle takes on a blue tint;
  • nausea, vomiting;
  • dizziness;
  • intermittent breathing.

In addition, the patient’s pupils constrict as much as possible, and a coma often occurs.

If poisoning with painkillers or antipyretics occurs, the following symptoms of overdose are observed:

  • Constant feeling of weakness, lethargy.
  • A person wants to sleep all the time, sleep turns into an unconscious state.
  • In case of severe intoxication, respiratory arrest may occur.

This group of drugs deserves special attention, since today the most frequently recorded overdose is Paracetamol, Citramon, Analgin and Aspirin. Drugs, which most people consider a panacea for all ailments, lead to kidney and liver failure, and problems with the functioning of the lungs. The consequence of systematically exceeding the dose is irreversible consequences in the body. Often people fall into a coma, which ends in death. That is why, at the first signs of an overdose, the patient must receive emergency assistance.

The medications most commonly found in the medicine cabinets of people suffering from heart disease are also dangerous if taken incorrectly. In case of drug overdose, the following appears:

  • rave;
  • hallucinations;
  • pain in the abdomen.

In addition, the functioning of the cardiovascular system significantly deteriorates.

In case of poisoning with antibacterial agents:

  • nausea, vomiting;
  • blood pressure readings are constantly changing;
  • body temperature rises to critical values.

Abuse of vitamins also leads to disruption of the functioning of most organs and systems. In this case, the alarming symptoms are:

  • headache;
  • digestive disorders;
  • high blood pressure;
  • dysfunction of the musculoskeletal system.

It is important to understand that overdose is a condition that often leads to the death of the patient, so its signs cannot be ignored.

Diagnostics

The following information is of greatest value to doctors:

  • name of the drug;
  • dose of the drug taken;
  • exact time of use.

Answers to these questions help determine the severity of the poisoning. Drug levels are determined through tests of blood, urine, and stomach contents. Based on the results obtained, an optimal treatment regimen is drawn up.

First aid

Lethal overdose is not uncommon, since modern-generation drugs act very quickly. In this regard, if a person is found with signs of drug poisoning, it is necessary to call an ambulance.

Before her arrival you need:

  1. Find out the name of the drug, time of its administration and quantity.
  2. If the medicine was drunk within the last 30 minutes, induce vomiting. To do this, you need to press on the root of the tongue.
  3. Make the patient drink unsweetened tea, milk or water.
  4. Give the person any enterosorbent (“Polysorb”, “Enterosgel”, etc.). You can also drink activated carbon, but you need to inform your doctor about taking it. This is because the drug turns stool black, which can also occur due to internal bleeding.
  5. Wrap the patient's head with a wet, cold towel.

If a person is unconscious, you need to:

  • lay him on his side;
  • every 5 minutes check for the presence of a heartbeat (if it is absent, artificial respiration must be performed);
  • remove tablets from the oral cavity if they are found in it.

It is prohibited for an unconscious person to induce vomiting. If packages of medicines or a suicide note are found next to him, they must be handed over to doctors or law enforcement officials.

Therapy

It is important to know that overdose is a condition whose treatment depends on many factors. The likelihood of a successful outcome increases many times over if the patient receives first aid in a timely manner.

Also, when drawing up an individual treatment plan, the following is taken into account:

  • in what form and dose was the drug taken, and to what pharmacological group he belongs;
  • how much time has passed;
  • body weight and age of a person.

People who have poisoned themselves with the intent to commit suicide are shown a consultation with a psychologist. After treatment, all patients are observed by a doctor. This is necessary in order to fully assess the consequences of intoxication.

Prevention

To reduce the likelihood of drug poisoning, you must follow these rules:

  1. Keep medications out of the reach of small children.
  2. Regularly inspect the first aid kit to detect expired medications.
  3. Read the instructions before use.
  4. Do not self-medicate, but always contact your doctor, he will definitely tell you about the norm and whether there can be an overdose if you unintentionally violate the dosage regimen once.
  5. Do not combine medications with alcohol.

You should always remember that medications can either improve your health or ruin it.

Finally

When the dose of any drug is increased, intoxication occurs. It is important to understand that overdose is a condition that always negatively affects human health. At best, the functioning of most organs and systems deteriorates, and at worst, death occurs.