Saturday, May 26, 2012

Percodan overdose

Table of Contents

Home Treatment

DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING.


Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

  • The patient's age, weight, and condition
  • Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strength if known)
  • The time it was swallowed
  • The amount swallowed
  • If the medication was prescribed for the patient

Poison Control, or a 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. Take the container with you to the emergency room.


What to expect at the emergency room

Some or all of the following may be performed or given:

  • Gastric lavage  
  • Activated charcoal
  • Laxative
  • Counter-acting medication or narcotic antagonist (multiple doses may be needed)
  • Intravenous fluids
  • Monitoring breathing
  • Treating other symptoms

Expectations (prognosis)

If an antidote can be given, recovery from an acute overdose occurs within 1 - 2 days.


Review Date: 05/10/2005
Reviewed By: William D. Whetstone, M.D., Division of Emergency Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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