Amitriptyline and perphenazine overdose
Triptazine overdoseAmitriptyline and perphenazine is a combination drug. It is sometimes prescribed for people with depression, agitation, or anxiety.
Amitriptyline and perphenazine 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 center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States.
Overdose
An overdose is when you take more than the normal or recommended amount of something, often a drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sympt...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePoisonous Ingredient
Amitriptyline and perphenazine can be very harmful in large amounts.
Where Found
Medicines with this brand name contain amitriptyline and perphenazine:
- Triptazine
Other medicines may also contain amitriptyline and perphenazine.
Symptoms
Below are symptoms of an amitriptyline and perphenazine overdose in different parts of the body. These symptoms may occur more often or be more severe in people who also take certain other medicines that affect serotonin, a chemical in the brain.
AIRWAYS AND LUNGS
- Slowed, labored breathing
Slowed, labored breathing
Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - No breathing
BLADDER AND KIDNEYS
- Hard to start urinating, and urine stream may be weak
Hard to start urinating
Difficulty starting or maintaining a urine stream is called urinary hesitancy.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Inability to completely empty the bladder
EYES, EARS, NOSE, THROAT, AND MOUTH
- Blurred vision
Blurred vision
There 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 - Dry mouth
- Enlarged pupils
- Eye pain in people at risk for a type of glaucoma
- Nasal congestion
Nasal congestion
A stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining it become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels. The problem may also in...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Unpleasant taste in mouth
HEART AND BLOOD
- Irregular heartbeat
Irregular heartbeat
Palpitations 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 - Low blood pressure (severe)
- Rapid heartbeat
Rapid heartbeat
Palpitations 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
Shock
Shock 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...
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MUSCLES AND JOINTS
- Muscles are rigid
Muscles are rigid
Muscle 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 - Muscle spasms or stiffness of the limbs
Muscle spasms
Muscle 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 - Stiff muscles in neck, face, or back
Stiff muscles in neck, face, or back
Joint pain can affect one or more joints.
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NERVOUS SYSTEM
- Agitation
Agitation
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Coma (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness)
Coma
Decreased alertness is the most severe state of reduced awareness and is a serious condition. A coma is a state of decreased alertness from which a p...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Seizures
Seizures
A seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs after an episode of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term "seizure" is often ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Delirium
- Disorientation
- Drowsiness
Drowsiness
Drowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep in when they do not want to or at times w...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Lower than normal body temperature
Lower than normal body temperature
Hypothermia is dangerously low body temperature, below 95°F (35°C).
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Restlessness
Restlessness
Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Uncoordinated movement
Uncoordinated movement
Uncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tremor
- Weakness
REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
- Change in menstrual patterns
SKIN
- Itchy skin
Itchy
Itching 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 - Rash
Rash
Rashes involve changes in the color, feeling or texture of your skin.
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STOMACH AND INTESTINES
- Constipation
Constipation
Constipation in infants and children occurs when they have hard stools or have problems passing stools. A child may have pain while passing stools o...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Loss of appetite
Loss of appetite
A decreased appetite is when your desire to eat is reduced. The medical term for a loss of appetite is anorexia.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Nausea and vomiting
Before Calling Emergency
Have this information ready:
- Person's age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known)
- Time it was swallowed
- 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 center
For 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 ArticleThis 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 done include:
- Blood and urine tests
- Chest x-ray
- ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
- Fluids through a vein (by IV)
- Medicines to treat symptoms
- Activated charcoal
- Laxative
- Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
Outlook (Prognosis)
An overdose of amitriptyline and perphenazine can be very serious.
People who overdose on this drug are almost always admitted to the hospital.
How well someone does depends on how much of the drug they swallowed and how quickly receive treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance of recovery. 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. Death can occur.
References
Aronson JK. Tricyclic antidepressants. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:146-169.
Huffman JC, Beach SR, Stern TA. Side effects of psychotropic medications. In: Stern TA, Fava M, Wilens TE, Rosenbaum JF, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Psychopharmacology and Neurotherapeutics. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 12.
Levine MD, Ruha A-M. Antidepressants. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 146.
Review Date: 10/3/2019
Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.