BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHydromorphone overdoseHydromorphone is a prescription medicine used to relieve severe pain. Hydromorphone 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 Hydromorphone is a type of morphine. Hydromorphone is an opioid narcotic, which means it is an extremely powerful medicine that can cause very deep sleep.People who take hydromorphone for pain should not drink alcohol. Combining alcohol with this medicine increases the chance for dangerous side effects and overdose symptoms. Where Found Medicines with these names contain hydromorphone:Dilaudid Hydrostat IR (International)Other medicines may also contain hydromorphone. Symptoms Symptoms of a hydromorphone overdose include:Bluish-colored fingernails and lips Bluish-colored fingernails and lipsA 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 Breathing problems, including slow and labored breathing, shallow breathing, or no breathing Breathing problemsBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cold, clammy skin Low body temperature 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 Constipation 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 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 Fatigue FatigueFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Flushing of the skin Itching ItchingItching is a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the area. Itching may occur all over the body or only in one location...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lightheadedness LightheadednessDizziness 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 Loss of consciousness 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 Muscle twitches 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 Pinpoint pupils Spasms of the stomach and intestines SpasmsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness Weak pulse Warning: A severe overdose of hydromorphone can cause death. Home Care This can be a serious overdose. Seek medical help right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Do not delay calling for help if you don't 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 health care 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 (computerized tomography or advanced imaging) CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...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 effect of the hydromorphone 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) People who quickly receive medicine (called an antidote) to reverse the effect of hydromorphone can recover within 1 to 4 hours. They may need to stay in the hospital for more doses of the antidote. 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 result in permanent disability. However, unless there are complications, long-term effects and death are rare.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Opioid receptor agonists. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:348-380.Nikolaides JK, Thompson TM. Opioids. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 151.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.
Hydromorphone overdoseHydromorphone is a prescription medicine used to relieve severe pain. Hydromorphone 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 Hydromorphone is a type of morphine. Hydromorphone is an opioid narcotic, which means it is an extremely powerful medicine that can cause very deep sleep.People who take hydromorphone for pain should not drink alcohol. Combining alcohol with this medicine increases the chance for dangerous side effects and overdose symptoms. Where Found Medicines with these names contain hydromorphone:Dilaudid Hydrostat IR (International)Other medicines may also contain hydromorphone. Symptoms Symptoms of a hydromorphone overdose include:Bluish-colored fingernails and lips Bluish-colored fingernails and lipsA 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 Breathing problems, including slow and labored breathing, shallow breathing, or no breathing Breathing problemsBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airRead Article Now Book Mark Article Cold, clammy skin Low body temperature 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 Constipation 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 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 Fatigue FatigueFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Flushing of the skin Itching ItchingItching is a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the area. Itching may occur all over the body or only in one location...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Lightheadedness LightheadednessDizziness 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 Loss of consciousness 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 Muscle twitches 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 Pinpoint pupils Spasms of the stomach and intestines SpasmsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness Weak pulse Warning: A severe overdose of hydromorphone can cause death. Home Care This can be a serious overdose. Seek medical help right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person Do not delay calling for help if you don't 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 health care 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 (computerized tomography or advanced imaging) CT scanA computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...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 effect of the hydromorphone 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) People who quickly receive medicine (called an antidote) to reverse the effect of hydromorphone can recover within 1 to 4 hours. They may need to stay in the hospital for more doses of the antidote. 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 result in permanent disability. However, unless there are complications, long-term effects and death are rare.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Opioid receptor agonists. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:348-380.Nikolaides JK, Thompson TM. Opioids. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 151.