Desipramine hydrochloride overdose

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Desipramine hydrochloride overdose

Definition:

Poisoning from an overdose of desipramine, which is a tricyclic antidepressent.

Alternative Names:

Norpamin

Poisonous Ingredient:

desipramine

Where Found:

Norpramin
Nebril
Nortimil
Pertofrane
Pertofrin
Sertofren

Symptoms:

body as a whole
- dry mouth
- urinary hesitancy
- convulsions
- shock
- incoordination
respiratory
- breathing slowed and labored
eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- blurred vision
gastrointestinal
- vomiting
heart and blood vessels
- irregular heartbeat
- low blood pressure
nervous system
- drowsiness
- stupor
- coma
- agitation
- restlessness
- hallucinations

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:

Administer activated charcoal.
Use gastric lavage.
Monitor the patient's vital signs (temperature, pulse, rate of breathing, blood pressure).
Maintain the patient's airway.
Institute fluid replacement, if appropriate.
Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis):

The amount swallowed and the time before appropriate therapy is initiated usually determine the final outcome. The sooner therapy is applied, the greater the chance of a positive outcome. This can be an extremely serious overdose

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