| name: | Beta Blocker Overdose |
| also known as: | Atenolol Overdose, Tenormin Overdose, Esmolol Overdose, Brevibloc Overdose, Acebutolol Overdose, Sectral Overdose, Metoprolol Overdose, Toprol Overdose, Lopressor Overdose, Propranolol Overdose, Inderal Overdose, Propanolol Overdose, Timolol Overdose, Timoptic Overdose, Nadolol Overdose, Corgard Overdose, Pindolol Overdose, Visken Overdose, Labetalol Overdose, Normadyne Overdose, Trandate Overdose, Butoxamine Overdose, Tenoretic Overdose, Inderide Overdose, Sotalol Overdose, Betapace Overdose |
| also see: | Beta Blockers |
| description: | Symptoms of beta blocker overdose can include low blood pressure, slow heart rate, altered mentation and thinking, seizures, coma, arrhythmia, and cardiogenic shock. Symptoms usually begin 1-2 hours after ingestion but can as quick as 15 minutes and as long as 12 hours later. Despite the fact that beta blockers can cause wheezing and hypoglycemia as side effects, they are both uncommon in overdose settings. |
| diagnosis: | Differential diagnosis include calcium channel blocker overdose, digitialis overdose and tricyclic antidepressant overdose. |
| treatment: | Treatment includes gastric lavage if ingestion less than one hour, activated charcoal, hospitalization and monitoring, as well as Rx Glucagon bolus/infusion for low blood pressure and slow heart rate, dopamine or norepinephrine if there is little or any response to the glucagon and if shock ensues, as well as benzodiazepines for seizures. Other medications include isoproterenol for shock, sodium bicarb for metabolic acidosis, pacemaker insertion, aortic balloon pump for severe cardiogenic shock. |
Last updated 1/26/2003