Drug overdose
What is Drug overdose?
Causes of a drug overdose
There can be two possible reasons behind drug overdose:
- Accidental: If a person takes the wrong drug or a combination of drugs, at the wrong time or in the wrong amount unintentionally.
- Intentional: When a person takes an overdose to inflict self-harm or to get ‘high’.
In both cases, the damage is intense and could be life-threatening.
Symptoms of a drug overdose
The symptoms of a drug overdose may vary based on the drug, the person, and the amount taken. But, some general symptoms include:
- Drowsiness
- Vomiting and nausea
- Agitation
- Difficulty walking
- Trouble breathing
- Loss of consciousness
- Enlarged pupils
- Convulsions
- Tremors
- Aggression or violence
- Delusions or hallucinations
When to see a doctor
Treatment for drug overdose is completely dependent on the situation of the patient. It becomes easier for the doctor to figure out the right treatment plan when the patient is aware of the amount of drug ingested.
Some general treatment options medical professionals use are:
- Clearing the airway by using a breathing tube
- Providing the patient with activated charcoal to absorb the drug
- Inducing vomiting to extract the drug
- Giving intravenous fluids to boost the process of removal of the substance from the body
- Pumping the stomach to extract the substance
- In serious conditions, an antidote is used to treat cases of a drug overdose.
Reach out to Dr. M. V. Rao in case of a drug overdose and get the best treatment options based on the seriousness of the case.
Staying healthy
Doctor’s guide
Yashoda Hospitals Somajiguda
Rajbhavan Road, Somajiguda, Matha Nagar, Hyderabad, Telangana.
500082
Mallela Clinic
Mallela Clinic, Street No 4, Vijay Nagar Colony, Hyderabad, Telangana.
500057
P: +91 9908 600 004
M: drmvraomallela@gmail.com
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