MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Adrenergic bronchodilators overdose

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Adrenergic bronchodilators overdose

Contents of this page:
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)

Definition

Adrenergic bronchodilators overdose is poisoning from an adrenergic bronchodilator. The term adrenergic refers to the stimulation of norepinephrine, a hormone which constricts the blood vessels.

Poisonous Ingredient

Albuterol
Bitolterol
Ephedrine
Epinephrine
Isoetharine
Isoproterenol
Metaproterenol
Pirbuterol
Racepinephrine
Ritodrine
Terbutaline

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Where Found

Albuterol (Proventil, Ventolin)
Bitolterol (Tornalate)
Ephedrine (Ephed II)
Epinephrine (Adrenalin, AsthmaHaler, Bronitin Mist, Bronkaid Mist, Medihaler-Epi, Primatene Mist, EpiPen Auto-Injector, Sus-Phrine)
Ethylnorepinephrine (Bronkephrine)
Isoetharine (Arm-a-Med Isoetharine, Bronkometer, Bronkosol, Dey-Dose Isoetharine, Dispos-a-Med Isoetharine, Dey-Lute Isoetharine)
Isoproterenol (Aerolone, Dey-Dose Isoproterenol, Dispos-a-Med Isoproterenol, Isuprel, Medihaler-Iso, Norisodrine Aerotrol, Vapo-Iso)
Metaproterenol (Alupent, Arm-a-Med Metaproterenol, Dey-Dose Metaproterenol, Dey-Lute Metaproterenol, Metaprel)
Pirbuterol (Maxair)
Racepinephrine (AsthmaNefrin, Dey-Dose Racepinephrine, Vaponefrin)
Terbutaline (Breathaire, Brethine, Bricanyl)
Ritodrine (Yutopar)

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

Body as a whole
- Chills
- Fever
- Tremor
- Muscle spasms
- Arching of the back (severe)
- Convulsions
- No urine output
- Low blood sugar or high blood sugar
- low potassium
- Tingling of hands and feet
Respiratory
- Difficulty breathing
- Gasping for breath or not breathing
Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- Dilated pupils
- Blurred vision
Skin
- Blue lips and fingernails (later)
Gastrointestinal
- Nausea and vomiting
Heart and blood vessels
- Rapid heartbeat
- Elevated blood pressure (initially)
- Low blood pressure (later)
Nervous system
- Nervousness, irritability
- Coma

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

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:

Administering activated charcoal
Administering a laxative
Emptying the stomach (gastric lavage)
Administering artificial respiration (breathing)
Maintaining adequate respiration rate
Treating the symptoms

Expectations (prognosis)

Survival past 24 hours is usually a good sign that recovery will follow. Mental disturbances associated with long-term use are rare and may require several months for recovery.

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.

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 2002 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.