Chlorpromazine overdose

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Chlorpromazine overdose

Definition:

Chlorpromazine poisoning is an overdose of chlorpromazine, an anti-psychotic medication.

Poisonous Ingredient:

Chlorpromazine

Where Found:

Thorazine

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms:

Body as a whole
- Dry mouth
- Hypothermia (body temperature is lower than normal)
- Incoordination
- Fever
- Tremor
- Stiff muscles in neck or back or muscle spasms
- Urinary hesitancy
- Weakness
- Difficulty swallowing
- excessive salivation
- Convulsions
- Alteration of menstrual patterns
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Nasal congestion
- Blurred vision
- Ulcers on the gums, tongue or in the throat
- Yellow eyes
- Skin rash
Gastrointestinal
- Nausea
- Constipation
- Loss of appetite
Heart and blood vessels
- Low blood pressure (severe)
- Rapid, irregular heartbeat
Nervous system
- Drowsiness
- Coma
- Disorientation

Home Treatment:

DO NOT induce vomiting.

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
If the medication was prescribed for the patient

Poison Control, or a local emergency number:

Call Poison Control or your 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. If possible, 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:

Emptying the stomach (gastric lavage)
Administering activated charcoal
Administering a laxative
Replacing fluid
Giving an antidote
Treating the symptoms

Expectations (prognosis):

Recovery depends on the nature of the damage done by the overdose. Survival past 2 weeks is usually a good sign, with full recovery taking 4 to 8 weeks.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.