Overdose dexamethasone: symptoms, consequences, treatment

Pills dexamethasone doctors often prescribed as anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, desensitizing agents, anti-shock, antitoxic, and immunosuppressive funds. This drug allows you to quickly stop the inflammation in the body, prevents swelling of all mucous membranes, inhibits eosinophilic infiltration of the submucosal layer. Despite the obvious benefit of this drug in the treatment of many diseases, it is possible to overdose dexamethasone in case of incorrect reception.

General characteristics of dexamethasone

Dexamethasone tablets refers to metilirovannah derived forpension, it inhibits the production of substances such as interleukin and interferon gamma from lymphocytes and macrophages.

After ingestion the drug is well absorbed from the digestive tract into the bloodstream, the maximum concentration of a substance in the blood is recorded in half an hour after ingestion. It penetrates into all tissues of the body, including the placenta and breast milk. Dexamethasone is excreted from the body by the kidneys and intestines.

Indications for use in adult patients

Adult patients taking dexamethasone only on prescription and in the established dosage. Indications for use are listed below:

• Gynecological diseases, which are caused by disruptions in the endocrine system.
• Shock of different origin.
• Swelling of the brain triggered by tumor, trauma, or hemorrhage.
• Acute or chronic form of bronchial asthma.
• Severe allergic reactions.
• Anaphylactic shock.
• Acute adrenal insufficiency.
• Endocrine disease.
• The dermatoses.
• Infectious diseases.
• Blood diseases – leukemia, leukaemia, lymphoma.

This is just a rough list of diseases for which treatment is applied dexamethasone. The drug has a fairly broad spectrum of action and noticeable effect. The treatment should be administered only by a physician.

Maximum dosage for adults is 20 mg per day, but not more than 6 mg per serving.

Features of administration of dexamethasone in children

For the treatment of children the drug is prescribed only in exceptional cases, when it can greatly alleviate the condition of the sick child. Maximum allowable dosage is calculated individually based on weight of the child and the severity of the disease. The whole treatment process should be monitored by a qualified technician, with periodic measurement of the growth and development of the child. If there are any deviations from the norm, the drug immediately overturned.

The maximum permissible dose for a child should not be more than 10 mg per day, otherwise it will be overdose.

Contraindications

Dexamethasone with caution is prescribed to patients with allergic reactions in the anamnesis, fungal and viral infections. It is not recommended to take it in diseases of the cardiovascular system, stomach and diabetes. In such diseases as osteoporosis, psychosis, glaucoma, kidney or liver failure, appointment of dexamethasone may be only after a thorough examination of a patient by a doctor.

During pregnancy dexamethasone try not to assign. The drug can be justified only if the expected benefit to the female body will be more than harm to the fetus.

Reception dexamethasone pregnant woman can lead to miscarriage and irreversible abnormalities in fetal development.

Overdose symptoms

Overdose dexamethasone is manifested by different symptoms, depending on the number of drugs and the General health of the person:

• Malfunctions of the Central nervous system, which are characterized by confusion, psychosis, increased excitation, hallucinations, severe anxiety and disorientation;
• Irregularities in the cardiovascular system – increased blood pressure, palpitations, heart failure;
• Intracranial pressure and seizures;
• Allergic rashes on the skin;
• Severe nausea and vomiting.

The consequences of a single excess dose will not be enough to stop taking the medication and adjust the dosage.

Emergency treatment of overdose

If overdose dexamethasone were seen in the period up to half an hour after ingestion, the sequence of actions is:

• give the victim a lot of clean or slightly salted water, up to four cups at a time, and cause vomiting;
• give any adsorbents that are activated carbon, APSCO, POLYSORB. All these drugs are pre-diluted in a small volume of water;
• put the victim to bed and await the arrival of the ambulance.

Dexamethasone is a potent drug, so the doctor should be called immediately if you suspect overdose.

To self-medicate in cases of poisoning dexamethasone is strictly prohibited, as possible bad health effects.

Treatment of overdose dexamethasone

Intoxication after ingestion of a large amount of dexamethasonetreated in hospital, especially for children and people with chronic diseases. Hemodialysis in poisoning with this drug has no effect. Mainly supportive and symptomatic therapy, which are aimed at stabilizing the functioning of all organs and systems of the body. Specialized antidote to dexamethasone no. If you develop the syndrome Itsenko - Kushinga shows the assignment of aminoglutetimid.

After the overdose the patient should always be under the control of the medical staff, as may deterioration in health status.

The rules of admission

The drug given orally. Dexamethasone should not be taken together with other medications. During treatment it is impossible to drive a car and operate machinery that require special attention.

The treatment is withdrawn gradually and with great caution. If cancelled abruptly after long-term use, may increase the temperature and General malaise. Such a reaction to the abolition may be the case even if there is no adrenal insufficiency. After treatment with dexamethasone can be recommended injection of corticotropin to withdrawal of the drug was more smooth.

Prevention of overdose

To prevent an overdose of dexamethasone, it is enough to observe a number of the recommendations listed below:

• Not to self-medicate, even if a friend or family member have a prescription for that drug from these diseases.
• Not to increase the recommended by doctor dose.
• Do not store medications in places that are accessible to children.
• In the appointment of a medicinal product by a doctor to draw his attention to associated chronic diseases.
• Do not use in the treatment of expired medicines.

Dexamethasone helps in a number of diseases when you need emergency assistance. This medication is able to relieve a severe allergic reaction, reduces temperature and inflammation, it is used as first aid in case of angioedema and shock States. But, despite the use of medication, it can be used only on prescription, otherwise, you can get health problems.