Saturday, February, 11, 2012

Diazepam overdose

Table of Contents

Alternative Names

Aliseum overdose; Alupram overdose; Atensine overdose; Valium overdose; Valrelease overdose; Vatran overdose; Vivol overdose; Zeltran overdose


Home Treatment


Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

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

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

See: Poison control center - emergency number


What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Tests, such as an EKG, may be done to check the patient's heart function. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate.

The patient may receive:

  • Activated charcoal
  • Breathing support (artificial respiration)
  • Fluids through a vein (by IV)
  • Laxative
  • Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the overdose
  • Tube through the mouth into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)

Expectations (prognosis)

Recovery from a diazepam overdose is very likely.

Those who receive large amounts of this drug through a vein (intravenously, or IV) have a worse outcome than those who swallow too many pills.


Review Date: 01/19/2010
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)