Antidepressants are a category of medicines that affect the central nervous system. This group of drugs is widely used to eliminate depression, nervousness.
If you take them as prescribed by the doctor, you can get rid of unpleasant symptoms. Unfortunately, not everyone follows this rule. Failure to follow the instructions leads to an overdose of antidepressants. The article details this issue.
Danger of uncontrolled reception
Today, people experience stress every day. Many have difficulties at work or in the family circle. Depression can occur due to fatigue and emotional stress. To eliminate its manifestations, some use special medicines.
However, not everyone who uses antidepressants visits the doctor first. There isquite affordable means. They can be purchased at any pharmacy and do not require a prescription. It is strictly forbidden to take such pills on the advice of friends or relatives.
After all, only a doctor can correctly assess the patient's condition and select the appropriate drug for him in an adequate amount. Overdose of antidepressants often occurs as a result of consuming too much medication. This is a condition that is accompanied by severe intoxication of the body and often leads to serious consequences, even death.
Why does poisoning happen?
Any drug, if taken incorrectly, can cause serious damage to human he alth. This statement is especially true for drugs that have a strong effect on the body. Most antidepressant overdoses happen by accident. Sometimes people take too much medicine to cope with the problems and forget about them. Of course, such medications eliminate anxiety, irritability and longing, but it is extremely dangerous to use them as a means of dealing with life's difficulties. Antidepressants are very popular among today's youth. Thanks to them, boys and girls feel special. There are situations when a person who missed taking a medication immediately drinks twice the amount, which is unacceptable. This also happens with the elderly, who, due to poor memory, often forget that they have already taken the drug. Children and teenagers are often victims of poisoning.
Kids canswallow pills out of curiosity if the medicine box is in an accessible place for them. Puberty people often commit suicide and deliberately drink a large dose. This is due to difficulties in the family, in the classroom. Symptoms of poisoning sometimes occur in people who drink tablets with soda, tea, coffee, or combine them with alcohol. such drugs can worsen the condition of a person who suffers from cardiovascular diseases or allergies. However, he does not have to take a large amount of medicine. Regardless of the cause of the intoxication, it is necessary to know what to do with an overdose of antidepressants.
Features of the manifestation of pathology
Such drugs affect the functioning of the central nervous system.
If a person has taken too much of the drug, brain activity may be impaired. With an overdose of antidepressants, the consequences are different - from increased drowsiness to the onset of a coma. The first symptoms of intoxication appear within half an hour after taking the medication.
For juveniles, a predominance of neurological disorders is typical. Adults suffer from malfunctions in the work of the myocardium and blood vessels. The heart rate is greatly accelerated. Sometimes there is a coma. This state can last for about 24 hours. In rare cases, seizures occur, but they quickly pass. An overdose of antidepressants may be indicated by a decrease in blood pressure.
Generalsymptoms
How to recognize such a state? The following signs indicate that a person has been poisoned by these pills:
- Disorders of the organs of vision.
- Dry mouth.
- Lack of urination and stool.
- Pupil enlargement.
- Disorders of mental and speech activity.
- Visions, auditory hallucinations.
- Vomiting.
- Fever.
- Seizure.
- Coma.
If at least one of the signs is present or you notice a combination of several symptoms of an overdose of antidepressants (and some of them are quite specific, for example, the same dilated pupils), do not hesitate: you need to urgently call an ambulance. Intoxication can be mild, moderate, severe and fatal. These conditions are discussed in the following sections.
First degree poisoning
With a mild form, the patient has a lethargic, tired appearance. He feels very weak, suffers from sleep disorders. There may be discomfort in the limbs. The patient is tormented by migraine, intense vomiting, dry mouth. His pupils are enlarged. Often there is an acceleration of the heart rate, tremor, allergic edema.
Average antidepressant overdose
This condition is accompanied by a disorder of consciousness. The patient cannot move and talk normally. He does not understand where he is, confused and inhibited. Most of the time the patient is inbed because he is unable to get up.
People do not understand his speech, as it becomes chaotic. This condition is considered very dangerous. Serious consequences are possible if you don't see a doctor.
Severe intoxication
She is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Uncontrolled eye movements.
- Poor reaction of the organs of vision to light.
- Respiratory dysfunction.
- Failures in the work of the myocardium (often observed with an overdose of tricyclic antidepressants).
- A sharp drop in blood pressure, which threatens the life of the patient.
If the victim was given timely medical assistance, he can come out of a coma and fall asleep for a long time. This condition is considered a good sign. Most likely, the patient's body will recover quickly.
Lethal degree of intoxication
It is observed in the case of taking 900-2000 milligrams of the drug.
A few seconds after taking the medication, there are disorders of motor functions, agitation, involuntary excretion of urine. The man screams, runs, foam comes out of his mouth. After such an attack, the patient falls asleep for a long time.
Excited state usually alternates with lethargy. This phenomenon is especially characteristic of an overdose of tricyclic antidepressants. However, the patient should not be allowed to sleep because this may worsen hiswell-being. You need to constantly disturb a person, talk to him.
How to help the patient before the arrival of doctors?
If you are sure that a person has an overdose of antidepressants, what to do in such a situation? The first thing to do is call an ambulance. Before the arrival of doctors, you need to do a gastric lavage. Before this procedure, the victim is given plenty of water with table s alt to drink. Then the patient should take activated charcoal. The colon is also cleansed with an enema. Then the patient should be laid down, drink warm, but not hot, sweet tea and wait for the arrival of the ambulance service. If a person is fainting, vomiting should not be provoked.
Cleansing of the stomach is carried out by doctors. For this, a probe is used. In a hospital setting, antidote injections are indicated, droppers are placed. This helps to remove the rest of the toxins from the body. The patient is also prescribed funds to normalize the functions of the myocardium, blood vessels and liver. If, due to an overdose of antidepressants, a person fell into a coma, the consequences can be serious, up to violations of the central nervous system.
To avoid poisoning with these pills, a number of preventive measures must be observed, which are discussed in the next section.
How to prevent intoxication?
For this you need:
- Take antidepressants only when prescribed by a doctor.
- Do not exceed the recommended dose.
- Don't forget about storage rulesdrugs.
- If the medicine is expired, it should be thrown away.
- Before using antidepressants, you should learn about their effect on the body as a whole.
- Pills should be kept out of the reach of children, the elderly, people with severe mental disorders and suicidal tendencies.
- Medicines of this kind are forbidden to drink soda, mineral water, juices, coffee or tea.
- Alcohol-containing products should not be consumed during the course of therapy.
Poisoning with antidepressants often occurs due to people's neglect of their own he alth. If you follow the rules for taking medications and take care of your body, you can avoid this dangerous condition.
