Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Barbiturate intoxication and overdose

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Intoxication - barbiturates


Symptoms

Symptoms of acute barbiturate intoxication include:

  • Altered level of consciousness
  • Difficulty in thinking
  • Drowsiness or coma
  • Faulty judgment
  • Incoordination
  • Shallow breathing
  • Slowness of speech
  • Sluggishness
  • Slurred speech
  • Staggering

Signs and tests

Physical exam and clinical history are usually sufficient to make the diagnosis. Drug screens, both urine and serum, can detect barbiturates for up to 5 days after ingestion. Additional blood tests may show the severity of breathing difficulty.

The most common physical exam findings seen in a barbituate overdose are:

  • Low body temperature (hypothermia)
  • Low blood pressure (hypotension)
  • Decreased breathing rate (respiratory depression)

Review Date: 01/14/2010
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)