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Home: Health A to Z: Imipramine overdose




Imipramine overdose

Definition
Before Calling Emergency
Alternative Names
Poison Control, or a local emergency number
Poisonous Ingredient
What to expect at the emergency room
Where Found
Expectations (prognosis)
Symptoms


 Definition  

This is poisoning from taking too much of the drug imipramine, an antidepressant.

 Alternative Names  

Tofranil; Janimine

 Poisonous Ingredient  

Imipramine

 Where Found  

  • Antideprin
  • Berkomine
  • Janimine
  • Norpramin
  • Tipramine
  • Tofranil
Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

 Symptoms  

  • Agitation
  • Blurred vision
  • Breathing slowed and labored
  • Coma
  • Constipation
  • Convulsions
  • Enlarged pupils in the eye
  • Delirium (decline in attention and mental process)
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Headache
  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Low blood pressure
  • Muscle rigidity
  • Pulmonary edema (accumulation of fluid in the lungs)
  • Restlessness
  • Seizures
  • Stupor (lack of alertness)
  • Shock
  • Uncoordinate movement
  • Urinary hesitancy
  • Vomiting

 Before Calling Emergency  

Determine the following information:

  • Patient's age, weight, and condition
  • Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
  • Time it was swallowed
  • Amount swallowed
  • If the medication was prescribed for the patient

 Poison Control, or a local emergency number  

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. 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.

Take the container with you to the emergency room.

 What to expect at the emergency room  

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

The patient may receive:

  • Fluids
  • Blood tests to monitor imipramine levels
  • Medicines to treat symptoms
  • Activated charcoal
  • Laxative
  • A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)
  • Artificial respiration

 Expectations (prognosis)  

How well a person does depends on how much of the drug was swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster one gets medical help, the better the chance of recovery.

Review date: 3/17/2006

Reviewed By: Janeen R. Azare, PhD, MSPH, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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