Can An Individual Overdose On OTC Drugs?
Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines are those that people can buy from pharmacies without showing any prescription. OTC medicines treat a variety of illnesses, such as cold, cough, muscle pain, body pain, diarrhea, constipation, acne, and more. The two most commonly used over the counter medicines are Dextromethorphan (DXM) and Loperamide. Can A Person Overdose On These OTC Medicines? Yes, an individual can overdose on cold medicines that contains DXM or loperamide. Drug overdose occurs when a person takes enough of the medicine that can result in potential health threat or even death. Overdose of OTC medicines can shorten breathes, leading to decrease in flow of oxygen to the brain. This condition is called hypoxia. Hypoxia can have short- and longterm mental effects and effects on the nervous system, including coma and permanent brain damage and death. Side-Effects Of Overdose Of OTC Medicines The OTC drugs misuse can result in mild stimulation to marijuana or alcohol-like intoxication. At high doses, an individual may experience hallucinations, euphoria, paranoia, extreme panic, anxiety, and aggression. Other health effects from OTC misuse can include the following:
hyper excitability poor motor control lack of energy stomach pain vision changes slurred speech increased blood pressure sweating
How OTC Overdose Can Be Treated? A person who has overdosed OTC medicines needs immediate medical attention. Call 911 immediately. If the person stops breathing or breathing gets weak, start with CPR. If the heart stops, health care providers will perform CPR and other cardiac support therapies. Things To Consider While Taking OTC Medicines Most of the people overdose OTC medicines as they forgot that they’ve taken their medicine or not. To avoid this confusion, you can use pill storage box. These boxes will help you keep in mind that whether you’ve taken your medicine or not. Moreover, buy your medicines by using free prescription discount cards. These cards will help you keep a track of your medicines and will offer discount on your medicines too.