BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuDilantin overdoseDilantin is a medicine used to prevent seizures. Overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, 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.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Dilantin can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Dilantin is the brand name of phenytoin. Symptoms The symptoms of a Dilantin overdose vary. They may include:Coma 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 Staggering gait or walk (early sign) Unsteadiness, uncoordinated movements (early sign) UnsteadinessWalking abnormalities can be caused by many different types of problems. Problems with the joints, (such as arthritis), bones (such as deformities),...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Involuntary, jerky, repeated movement of the eyeballs called nystagmus (early sign) NystagmusNystagmus is a term to describe uncontrollable movements of the eyes that may be:Side to side (horizontal nystagmus)Up and down (vertical nystagmus)R...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Seizures SeizuresA 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 Tremor (uncontrollable, repeated shaking of the arms or legs) TremorA tremor is a type of shaking movement. A tremor is most often noticed in the hands and arms. It may affect any body part, including the head, tong...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Slow or slurred speech Lethargy Low blood pressure Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomiting Nausea and vomitingNausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Swollen gums Swollen gumsSwollen gums are abnormally enlarged, bulging, or protruding.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fever (rare) FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe blistering of the skin (rare) Slow or irregular heartbeat (usually only when taken intravenously, such as at a hospital) Swelling and purplish discoloration of the hand (only when taken intravenously, such as at a hospital) Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition (for example, is the person awake or alert?) Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Do not delay calling for help if you do not have this information. 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 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 to the hospital with you, if possible. The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan of the head CT scan of the headA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effects of the drug and treat symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)Breathing machineA ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) The outlook depends on how severe the overdose is:Mild overdose -- Supportive therapy alone may be all that is needed. Recovery is likely. Moderate overdose -- With proper treatment, the person usually makes a complete recovery within 24 to 48 hours. Severe overdose -- If the person is unconscious or has abnormal vital signs, more aggressive treatments may be necessary. It may take 3 to 5 days before the person becomes conscious. Complications such as pneumonia, muscle damage from lying on a hard surface for a long period of time, or brain damage from lack of oxygen may cause permanent disability. However, unless there are complications, long-term effects and death are uncommon. If death occurs, it is usually from liver failure. Vital signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Phenytoin and fosphenytoin. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:709-718.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/2/2023 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.
Dilantin overdoseDilantin is a medicine used to prevent seizures. Overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, 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.OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Dilantin can be harmful in large amounts. Where Found Dilantin is the brand name of phenytoin. Symptoms The symptoms of a Dilantin overdose vary. They may include:Coma 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 Staggering gait or walk (early sign) Unsteadiness, uncoordinated movements (early sign) UnsteadinessWalking abnormalities can be caused by many different types of problems. Problems with the joints, (such as arthritis), bones (such as deformities),...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Involuntary, jerky, repeated movement of the eyeballs called nystagmus (early sign) NystagmusNystagmus is a term to describe uncontrollable movements of the eyes that may be:Side to side (horizontal nystagmus)Up and down (vertical nystagmus)R...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Seizures SeizuresA 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 Tremor (uncontrollable, repeated shaking of the arms or legs) TremorA tremor is a type of shaking movement. A tremor is most often noticed in the hands and arms. It may affect any body part, including the head, tong...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Slow or slurred speech Lethargy Low blood pressure Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomiting Nausea and vomitingNausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Swollen gums Swollen gumsSwollen gums are abnormally enlarged, bulging, or protruding.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fever (rare) FeverFever is the temporary increase in the body's temperature in response to a disease or illness. A child has a fever when the temperature is at or abov...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe blistering of the skin (rare) Slow or irregular heartbeat (usually only when taken intravenously, such as at a hospital) Swelling and purplish discoloration of the hand (only when taken intravenously, such as at a hospital) Home Care Seek medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition (for example, is the person awake or alert?) Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Do not delay calling for help if you do not have this information. 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 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 to the hospital with you, if possible. The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article CT scan of the head CT scan of the headA head computed tomography (CT) scan uses many x-rays to create pictures of the head, including the skull, brain, eye sockets, and sinuses.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Electrocardiogram (ECG)ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effects of the drug and treat symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)Breathing machineA ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Outlook (Prognosis) The outlook depends on how severe the overdose is:Mild overdose -- Supportive therapy alone may be all that is needed. Recovery is likely. Moderate overdose -- With proper treatment, the person usually makes a complete recovery within 24 to 48 hours. Severe overdose -- If the person is unconscious or has abnormal vital signs, more aggressive treatments may be necessary. It may take 3 to 5 days before the person becomes conscious. Complications such as pneumonia, muscle damage from lying on a hard surface for a long period of time, or brain damage from lack of oxygen may cause permanent disability. However, unless there are complications, long-term effects and death are uncommon. If death occurs, it is usually from liver failure. Vital signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Phenytoin and fosphenytoin. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:709-718.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.