Barbiturates overdose

Home treatment:

Call Poison Control.

Before calling emergency:

Determine the following information:

• the patient's age, weight, and condition
• the name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
• the time it was swallowed
• the amount swallowed
• if the medication was prescribed for the patient

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.

What to expect at the emergency room:

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

• Induce emesis.
• Use gastric lavage.
• Administer activated charcoal.
• Administer a laxative.
• Treat the symptoms.
• Monitor blood levels and blood chemistries.
• Give treatment to increase the excretion of the drug from the body.

Expectations (prognosis):

The prognosis (probable outcome) depends on the symptoms observed by the health care provider.

Recovery will probably occur within 24 to 48 hours with proper care in the following cases:

• mild symptoms
  • The patient can be aroused.
  • Monitoring will take place in the hospital.

• moderate symptoms
  • The patient cannot be aroused. Breathing is normal.
  • Other life signs (pulse, skin color, and so on) are normal.

Recovery will probably occur within 3-5 days, depending on the amount swallowed, in the following case:

• severe symptoms
  • The patient cannot be aroused. Breathing and other life signs may be abnormal.

Note: Ingestion of alcoholic beverages may increase the severity of the symptoms.