MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Calcium carbonate overdose

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Calcium carbonate overdose

Contents of this page:
Alternative names Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms	Home Treatment Before Calling Emergency Poison Control, or a local emergency number What to expect at the emergency room Expectations (prognosis)

Alternative names

Tums; Calcium

Definition Return to top

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

Poisonous Ingredient Return to top

Calcium

Where Found Return to top

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 Return to top

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 Return to top

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

Before Calling Emergency Return to top

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 Return to top

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 Return to top

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) Return to top

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

Update Date: 2/9/2004

Updated by: Cherlin Johnson, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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