BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAdrenergic bronchodilator overdoseAdrenergic bronchodilators are inhaled medicines that help open up the airways. They are used to treat asthma and chronic bronchitis. Adrenergic bronchodilator overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.AsthmaAsthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow. It leads to breathing difficulty such as wheezing, shortness o...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 In large amounts, these medicines can be poisonous:Albuterol Bitolterol Ephedrine Epinephrine Isoetharine Isoproterenol Metaproterenol Pirbuterol Racepinephrine Ritodrine Terbutaline Other bronchodilators may also be harmful when taken in large amounts. Where Found The substances listed above are found in medicines. Brand names are in parentheses:Albuterol (AccuNeb, ProAir, Proventil, Ventolin Vospire) Ephedrine Epinephrine (Adrenalin, AsthmaHaler, EpiPen Auto-Injector) Isoproterenol Metaproterenol Terbutaline Other brands of bronchodilators may also be available. Symptoms Below are symptoms of an adrenergic bronchodilator overdose in different parts of the body.AIRWAYS AND LUNGSFeeling breathless or short of breath Feeling breathless or short of breathBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Shallow breathing Rapid breathing No breathing BLADDER AND KIDNEYS No urine output EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Blurred visionThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dilated pupils Burning throat HEART AND BLOOD VESSELSChest pain High blood pressure, then low blood pressure Rapid heartbeat Rapid 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 Shock (extremely low blood pressure)ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMChills 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 Convulsions (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 Fever Irritability Nervousness Tingling of hands and feet Tremor 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 WeaknessSKINBlue lips and fingernailsBlue lips and fingernailsA 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 STOMACH AND INTESTINESNausea and vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. Call 911 or your local emergency services number. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:The person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed 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.Local 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.Your health care provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.If the medicine was swallowed, tests may include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray CT scan (advanced imaging) of the brain for neurologic symptoms 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:Activated charcoal Breathing support, including oxygen, through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator) Fluids through a vein (IV) Laxative Medicines to treat symptoms Outlook (Prognosis) Survival past 24 hours is usually a good sign that the person will recover. People who have seizures, breathing difficulties, and heart rhythm disturbances may have the most serious problems after an overdose.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Adrenaline (epinephrine). In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:86-94.Aronson JK. Salmeterol. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:294-301.Aronson JK. Ephedra, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:65-75.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.
Adrenergic bronchodilator overdoseAdrenergic bronchodilators are inhaled medicines that help open up the airways. They are used to treat asthma and chronic bronchitis. Adrenergic bronchodilator overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.AsthmaAsthma is a chronic disease that causes the airways of the lungs to swell and narrow. It leads to breathing difficulty such as wheezing, shortness o...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 In large amounts, these medicines can be poisonous:Albuterol Bitolterol Ephedrine Epinephrine Isoetharine Isoproterenol Metaproterenol Pirbuterol Racepinephrine Ritodrine Terbutaline Other bronchodilators may also be harmful when taken in large amounts. Where Found The substances listed above are found in medicines. Brand names are in parentheses:Albuterol (AccuNeb, ProAir, Proventil, Ventolin Vospire) Ephedrine Epinephrine (Adrenalin, AsthmaHaler, EpiPen Auto-Injector) Isoproterenol Metaproterenol Terbutaline Other brands of bronchodilators may also be available. Symptoms Below are symptoms of an adrenergic bronchodilator overdose in different parts of the body.AIRWAYS AND LUNGSFeeling breathless or short of breath Feeling breathless or short of breathBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Shallow breathing Rapid breathing No breathing BLADDER AND KIDNEYS No urine output EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATBlurred vision Blurred visionThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dilated pupils Burning throat HEART AND BLOOD VESSELSChest pain High blood pressure, then low blood pressure Rapid heartbeat Rapid 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 Shock (extremely low blood pressure)ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...Read Article Now Book Mark Article NERVOUS SYSTEMChills 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 Convulsions (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 Fever Irritability Nervousness Tingling of hands and feet Tremor 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 WeaknessSKINBlue lips and fingernailsBlue lips and fingernailsA 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 STOMACH AND INTESTINESNausea and vomiting Home Care Seek medical help right away. Call 911 or your local emergency services number. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:The person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed 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.Local 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.Your health care provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.If the medicine was swallowed, tests may include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray CT scan (advanced imaging) of the brain for neurologic symptoms 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:Activated charcoal Breathing support, including oxygen, through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator) Fluids through a vein (IV) Laxative Medicines to treat symptoms Outlook (Prognosis) Survival past 24 hours is usually a good sign that the person will recover. People who have seizures, breathing difficulties, and heart rhythm disturbances may have the most serious problems after an overdose.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Adrenaline (epinephrine). In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:86-94.Aronson JK. Salmeterol. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:294-301.Aronson JK. Ephedra, ephedrine, and pseudoephedrine. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:65-75.