MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Meperidine hydrochloride overdose

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Meperidine hydrochloride overdose

Contents of this page:
Alternative Names Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Care Before Calling Emergency Poison Control What to Expect at the Emergency Room Outlook (Prognosis)

Alternative Names

Demerol overdose; Mepergan forte overdose

Definition Return to top

This is poisoning from taking a very large amount of the painkiller meperidine.

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

Meperidine

Where Found Return to top

Demerol
Mepergan Forte

Symptoms Return to top

Lungs
- Breathing problems
- Slow and labored breathing
- Shallow breathing
- Breathing stops
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Small pupils (may be normal)
Skin
- Blue fingernails and lips
Gastrointestinal
- Spasms of the stomach or intestines
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation
Heart and blood
- Weak pulse
- Low blood pressure
- Convulsions
Nervous system
- Drowsiness
- Coma
- Dizziness
- Twitching muscles

Home Care Return to top

DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional. Seek immediate medical help.

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

Determine the following:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strength, if known)
Time it was swallowed
Amount swallowed
If the medication was prescribed for the patient

Poison Control Return to top

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room Return to top

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. The patient may receive:

Fluids by IV
Breathing help
Laxative
Medicines to treat symptoms
Activated charcoal
A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)
Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effects of the poison

Outlook (Prognosis) Return to top

If an antidote can be given, recovery begins immediately. Patients who took a large overdose may have respiratory arrest (no breathing) and seizures if they do not get this medicine quickly.

Update Date: 3/13/2006

Updated by: Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-RooseveltHospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed HealthcareNetwork.

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