Calcium carbonate overdose

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Calcium carbonate overdose

Definition:

Calcium carbonate poisoning is an overdose of calcium carbonate, which is commonly available in supplements and antacids.

Alternative Names:

Tums; Calcium

Poisonous Ingredient:

Calcium

Where Found:

Calcium carbonate
Some antacids (Tums, Chooz)
Some mineral supplements
Some vitamin and mineral supplements
Some hand lotions

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms:

Body as a whole
- Bone pain
Gastrointestinal
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
Heart and blood vessels
- Irregular heartbeat
Nervous system:
- Confusion
- Depression
- Coma

Home Treatment:

DO NOT induce vomiting. If you suspect a calcium carbonate overdose, seek emergency medical care immediately.

Before Calling Emergency:

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
When it was swallowed
The amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

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:

Placing a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric or NG tube) to wash out the stomach
Administering activated charcoal
Taking a blood sample
Giving IV fluids
Admission to the hospital
Treating the symptoms

Expectations (prognosis):

Because calcium carbonate is considered a fairly nontoxic substance, recovery is quite likely. Chronic overuse is more serious than a single overdose.

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