BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuNitroglycerin overdoseNitroglycerin is a medicine that helps relax the blood vessels leading to the heart. It is used to prevent and treat chest pain (angina), as well as extremely high blood pressure and other conditions. Nitroglycerin overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.AnginaAngina is a type of chest discomfort or pain due to poor blood flow through the blood vessels (coronary vessels) of the heart muscle (myocardium). T...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with overdoses, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Nitroglycerin Where Found Brand names of nitroglycerin tablets include:Minitran NitroBid Nitrodisc Nitro-Dur Nitrogard Nitroglyn Nitrolingual pump spray Nitromist Rectiv Medicines with other names may also contain nitroglycerin. Symptoms Below are symptoms of a nitroglycerin overdose in different parts of the body.AIRWAYS AND LUNGSShortness of breath Shortness of breathBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Slow breathingSlow breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Double vision Involuntary eye movements HEART AND BLOOD VESSELSBeing able to feel heartbeat (palpitations) Low blood pressure Rapid heartbeat or slow heartbeatRapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Slow heartbeatThe pulse is the number of heartbeats per minute.Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMConvulsions (seizures) ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Coma (lack of responsiveness) ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Confusion ConfusionConfusion is the inability to think as clearly or quickly as you normally do. You may feel disoriented and have difficulty paying attention, remembe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness DizzinessDizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fainting Headache WeaknessSKINBluish color to lips and fingernails Bluish colorA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cold skin Flushing STOMACH AND INTESTINESDiarrhea Cramping Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do NOT make a person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:Person's age, weight, and condition The name of the medicine and strength, if known Time it was swallowed The amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated. The person may receive:Activated charcoal Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen and a tube through the mouth into the lungs and breathing machine (ventilator) Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing Intravenous fluids (IV, or through a vein) Laxative Medicines to treat symptoms Outlook (Prognosis) Deaths from nitroglycerin overdose have occurred, but they are rare.Very low blood pressure may result from taking nitroglycerin with other medicines whose action also lowers blood pressure, such as drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.An overnight hospital stay may be needed if a long-acting nitroglycerine drug preparation caused the overdose.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Nitrates, organic. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:192-202.Cole JB. Cardiovascular drugs. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 142.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 7/1/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Nitroglycerin overdoseNitroglycerin is a medicine that helps relax the blood vessels leading to the heart. It is used to prevent and treat chest pain (angina), as well as extremely high blood pressure and other conditions. Nitroglycerin overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.AnginaAngina is a type of chest discomfort or pain due to poor blood flow through the blood vessels (coronary vessels) of the heart muscle (myocardium). T...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with overdoses, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Nitroglycerin Where Found Brand names of nitroglycerin tablets include:Minitran NitroBid Nitrodisc Nitro-Dur Nitrogard Nitroglyn Nitrolingual pump spray Nitromist Rectiv Medicines with other names may also contain nitroglycerin. Symptoms Below are symptoms of a nitroglycerin overdose in different parts of the body.AIRWAYS AND LUNGSShortness of breath Shortness of breathBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Slow breathingSlow breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Double vision Involuntary eye movements HEART AND BLOOD VESSELSBeing able to feel heartbeat (palpitations) Low blood pressure Rapid heartbeat or slow heartbeatRapid heartbeatPalpitations are feelings or sensations that your heart is pounding or racing. They can be felt in your chest, throat, or neck. You may:Have an unpl...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Slow heartbeatThe pulse is the number of heartbeats per minute.Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMConvulsions (seizures) ConvulsionsA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Coma (lack of responsiveness) ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Confusion ConfusionConfusion is the inability to think as clearly or quickly as you normally do. You may feel disoriented and have difficulty paying attention, remembe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness DizzinessDizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fainting Headache WeaknessSKINBluish color to lips and fingernails Bluish colorA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cold skin Flushing STOMACH AND INTESTINESDiarrhea Cramping Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do NOT make a person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:Person's age, weight, and condition The name of the medicine and strength, if known Time it was swallowed The amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated. The person may receive:Activated charcoal Blood and urine tests Breathing support, including oxygen and a tube through the mouth into the lungs and breathing machine (ventilator) Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing Intravenous fluids (IV, or through a vein) Laxative Medicines to treat symptoms Outlook (Prognosis) Deaths from nitroglycerin overdose have occurred, but they are rare.Very low blood pressure may result from taking nitroglycerin with other medicines whose action also lowers blood pressure, such as drugs used to treat erectile dysfunction.An overnight hospital stay may be needed if a long-acting nitroglycerine drug preparation caused the overdose.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Nitrates, organic. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:192-202.Cole JB. Cardiovascular drugs. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 142.