Phenobarbital overdose

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Phenobarbital overdose

Definition:

Poisoning from an overdose of phenobarbital.

Poisonous Ingredient:

Phenobarbital

Where Found:

Phenobarbital
Luminal
Solfoton
Barbita
Comizial
Fenilcal
Gardenale

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms:

Respiratory
- Breathing slowed or stopped
- Problems breathing
Heart and blood vessels
- Weak pulse
- Low blood pressure
Skin
- Blisters
Nervous system
- Headache
- Slurred speech
- Unsteady gait
- Confusion
- Delirium
- Coma
- Excitement
- Deep sleep

Home Treatment:

Call Poison Control.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strength 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:

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

Expectations (prognosis):

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

Mild:

The patient can be aroused.
No further treatment will probably be necessary, but the patient will be monitored in the hospital.

Moderate

The patient cannot be aroused.
Breathing is normal.
Other life signs (pulse, skin color, and so on) are normal.
Recovery will probably occur within 24 to 48 hours with proper care.

Severe:

The patient cannot be aroused.
Breathing and other life signs may be abnormal.
Recovery will probably occur within 3 to 5 days, depending on the amount swallowed.

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