Sometimes any person needs analgesics. After all, everyone may experience discomfort. Unpleasant sensations in the area of the head, tooth or muscles lead to the need for medication. It happens that a person takes an excessive amount of tablets in order to enhance the effect. An overdose of painkillers is a dangerous condition that poses a threat to life.
Varieties of drugs
Doctors often experience analgesic poisoning. Almost everyone has such medicines. Sometimes a person uses them without the appointment of doctors.
An overdose of painkillers occurs because not everyone has an idea of the side effects of the drugs. If you take the medicine incorrectly, they do not have a positive, but a negative effect. Exceeding the permissible volume of tablets often leads to the development of a serious condition - coma.
Analgesics are divided into the following categories:
- Basic drugs that act locally remove the inflammation process. This group includes: "Paracetamol", "Nise", "Ketorol." An overdose of painkillers in this category leads to disruption of the digestive tract, disorders of the central nervous system, liver functions, and urinary system. They cause lack of sleep, dizziness, hearing and vision impairment, and cephalalgia.
- Symptomatic medications (eliminate only discomfort, but do not affect its cause). They are characterized by minimal negative effects on the body.
- Drugs containing narcotic substances. Their frequent and uncontrolled use leads to a delay in the process of urine output, respiratory disorders. An overdose of painkillers from this group is very dangerous and requires immediate medical attention. In addition, such drugs provoke addiction. Their use is permissible only under the supervision of a doctor.
What factors contribute to the development of poisoning?
The likelihood of an overdose of painkillers increases in the presence of such circumstances:
- Failure to comply with the rules of use specified in the instructions.
- Leaving medicines in a place accessible to babies.
- Combination of drugs with alcohol-containing products. Alcoholic beverages enhance the effect of analgesics.
- The use of painkillers on the background of the use of other medicines.
- Self-acceptance of funds. Some people get analgesics without consulting a doctor.
- The presence of individual intolerance. In such cases, anaphylaxis develops.
Analgesic intoxication is accompanied by many manifestations. How to recognize a pathology is described in the next section.
Characteristic signs of poisoning
The disease proceeds approximately the same, regardless of what category the analgesic belongs to. With an overdose of painkillers, the following symptoms are observed:
- Sensation of tinnitus, feeling of weakness, dizziness.
- Discomfort in the peritoneum, which has a cutting character.
- Decrease in blood pressure.
- Deterioration of auditory and visual functions.
- Seizures, muscle cramps.
- Loss of consciousness.
- Respiratory distress.
In addition, intoxication with analgesics leads to general poisoning. It is accompanied by the destruction of liver tissue, asthma attacks.
Complications
In case of an overdose of painkillers, the consequences depend on which pills the person took. The most common pathologies are:
- Severe disorders of the urinary system, blood flow from internal organs, swelling of brain tissue. These symptoms result from the abuse of paracetamol.
- Irreversible malfunctions in the liver, lungs, and kidneys (occur with an overdose of aspirin).
- Citramon causes cramping in the muscles, problems with the process of urine separation.
- Coma (develops due to failure to provide assistance in case of poisoning with any analgesic).
Drug abuse
An overdose of painkillers belonging to this group is accompanied by such signs:
- An increase or decrease in the volume of pupils, their asymmetric arrangement.
- Impaired consciousness.
- Bluish coloring of the skin.
- Bouts of vomiting. If a person is in a swoon, there is a risk of the contents of the stomach getting into the airways.
- An increase in temperature, which is accompanied by severe chills.
- Difficulties with the process of bowel movement and urine output.
- Swelling of brain tissue.
First aid in case of intoxication
If poisoning occurs, you must call an ambulance. Before the arrival of health workers, the following procedures should be carried out:
- Gastric lavage using a large volume of pure water mixed with salt.
- The use of sorbents.
- Frequent drinking in small portions (slightly brewed sweet tea, mineral water without gas).
After these measures, the patient must be taken to the hospital. Further therapy is carried out by medical workers in a hospital.
Methods of providing medical care
Sometimes the specialist does not know what medicine the patient poisoned. In this case, laboratory tests of biological material (blood, urine) are prescribed. It is good if the people accompanying the patient immediately report a remedy that caused intoxication.
In case of an overdose of painkillers, the doctor introduces an antidote to the patient. Acetylcysteine is used as an antidote. This method of assistance is effective only in a situation where less than eight hours have passed since the drug was used. In severe cases, a person is placed in an intensive care unit for resuscitation. For treatment, drugs are used that remove toxic compounds from the body, neutralize their harm, and also help restore the functioning of the urinary system, central nervous system, liver, lungs.
If you suspect toxicity in someone close, you can’t try to cope with the disease yourself. It is necessary to seek help from specialists as soon as possible.
Poison "No-shpoi"
The drug is used to eliminate cramping. These unpleasant sensations can have different localization. The doctor prescribes "No-shpa" taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient (body weight, age category, state of health). This measure avoids an overdose of painkillers. What to do if poisoning does occur? First, you should be aware that intoxication "No-spear" is accompanied by such symptoms:
- Dry mucous membranes.
- Headache.
- Overwork.
- Inhibition.
- Dizziness.
- Nausea, bouts of vomiting.
If such signs appear, immediately call an ambulance service. The lack of adequate therapy can lead to a halt in myocardial activity, the development of anaphylaxis, and dysfunction of the respiratory system. Fatal outcome is likely both in patients with individual intolerance, and in people who are not allergic.
Intoxication with Pentalgin
This medication is also used to combat spasms. It contains many different substances and affects the body comprehensively. The daily rate of tablets should not exceed four pieces. However, sometimes people abuse this popular tool. They hope for a faster and tangible effect. In such cases, an overdose of painkillers occurs. What to do with Pentalgin intoxication? First of all, you need to remember that poisoning is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Disruptions in the activity of the stomach and intestines. Nausea, bouts of vomiting, frequent loose stools, loss of appetite, and blood flow from internal organs are observed.
- Disorders of the myocardium and blood vessels. The patient has an irregular and accelerated heart rate.
- Disruptions in the activity of the organs of the nervous system (headache, trembling, anxiety, attacks of a nervous tic and convulsive seizures).
- The death of liver cells (this condition occurs 12 hours after the use of the drug and leads to the death of the patient).
If this symptom is detected, it is urgent to call an ambulance service. Before the doctor arrives, gastric lavage should be performed, and the patient should be given a toxin remover (absorbent). If no more than 8 hours have passed from the moment of intoxication, the specialist introduces an antidote. In severe cases, a person must be taken to an intensive care unit for resuscitation and further treatment.
How to prevent the development of intoxication?
Prevention of pathology is as follows:
- No need to purchase medication yourself. Ignorance of the characteristics of drugs and the rules for their use leads to an overdose of painkillers. Indications for use, side effects and other features of the drugs should be discussed with the doctor.
- It is undesirable to combine different medicines without the permission of a specialist.
- You can not change the treatment regimen, reduce the periods between doses of tablets.
- It is forbidden to use medicines that have expired.
- Do not leave medicines in the place where a child can find them.
If you suspect an overdose of painkillers, symptoms of this pathology, you must call an ambulance as soon as possible.