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Hydrocodone and acetaminophen overdose

Overview Symptoms Treatment
Alternative Names:
Lorcet; Lortab; Vicodin
Home Treatment:
DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Seek emergency medical care immediately.
Before Calling Emergency:
Determine the following:
  • The patient's age, weight, and condition
  • The name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
  • The time it was swallowed
  • The amount swallowed
  • It the medication was prescribed for the patient
Poison Control, or a local emergency number:
See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Take the container with you to the emergency room.
What to expect at the emergency room:
Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:
  • For swallowed poison
    • Placement of a tube down the nose and into the stomach (a nasogastric tube, or an NG tube) to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage).
    • Activated charcoal administration.
    • Give IV fluids.
    • Admission to the hospital.
    • For Tylenol, N-Acetyl cysteine is given if the blood Tylenol level is high enough. Without the antidote, the patient has fatal liver failure.
    • Treat the symptoms.
    • Give a counteracting medication (narcotic antagonist). Multiple doses may be needed.
Expectations (prognosis):
If an antidote can be given, recovery from an acute overdose occurs within 24 to 48 hours for hydrocodone, and within 3 to 4 days for acetaminophen.
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