Amitava Dasgupta

At a Glance Features of amphetamine/methamphetamine overdose include restlessness,irritability,hyperactivity,hypertension,insomnia, diaphoresis,mydriasis,and tachypnea. Life threatening overdose may cause delirium, arrhythmia,convulsion,and coma.Overdose with 3,4-methylene dioxy methamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy) and 3,4-methylene dioxyamphetamine (MDA) produce similar symptoms. What Tests Should I Request to Confirm My Clinical Dx? In addition, what follow-up tests might be useful? A urine drug screen should…

At a Glance Barbiturate overdose is less frequent than overdoses with other abused drugs due to the decreasing therapeutic and recreational use of barbiturates. However, in general, short acting barbiturates, such as pentobarbital and secobarbital, which are more lipid soluble than long acting barbiturates, such as phenobarbital, cause more serious toxicity. Characteristics of barbiturate overdose…

At a Glance Because of their anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic properties, benzodiazepines are frequently prescribed; 15 different drugs in the benzodiazepine class are marketed in the United States. However, benzodiazepines, including alprazolam, diazepam, chlordiazepoxide, lorazepam, oxazepam, clonazepam, and triazolam, are also commonly abused. The most common symptom of benzodiazepine overdose is drowsiness. Death from benzodiazepine overdose…

At a Glance Patients who overdose on cocaine can present with dilated pupils, tachycardia, hyperthermia, and hypertension. Cocaine induced cardiac arrhythmias and seizures can be seen in severe cases. Symptoms are exacerbated in patients who co-ingest alcohol with cocaine. What Tests Should I Request to Confirm My Clinical Dx? In addition, what follow-up tests might…

At a Glance Overdose from opioids can occur after ingestion of natural products, such as morphine and codeine, or after ingestion of semi-synthetic or synthetic opioids, such as heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, fentanyl, methadone, or meperidine. Heroin is a commonly abused semi-synthetic opioid with no medical use. Although other opioids can be prescribed for therapeutic…

At a Glance Commonly prescribed tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) include imipramine, amitriptyline, desipramine, nortriptyline, doxepin, protriptyline, and maprotiline. Although the prescription of TCAs has decreased since the introduction of serotonin reuptake inhibitors to treat depression, overdose with TCAs can occur and may be life-threatening because of cardiotoxicity of these drugs. In addition to cardiotoxicity and potential…