Antibiotic Overdose

2024 Author: Rachel Wainwright | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 07:39

Antibiotics are drugs with antibacterial action, which are of two types: bactericidal (destroys bacteria) and bacteriostatic (inhibits the growth of bacteria). The discovery of antibiotics was a milestone in human history. Antibacterial drugs save the lives of millions of people around the world every year. However, like any powerful remedy, they have side effects, and in case of abuse, overdose development is possible.

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How much antibiotic is needed for an overdose?

The dose of the antibiotic is selected by the doctor on an individual basis. In this case, the sensitivity of the pathogen, the characteristics of the course of the disease, the presence of concomitant pathology and a number of other factors are taken into account. There is no single dosage for all antibiotics, respectively, and the amount of each drug required for an overdose will be different.

Most often, antibiotic overdose is observed in children. The dosage for them is calculated taking into account age and body weight, prescribing a medicine without taking into account individual characteristics can cause complications.

As a rule, serious problems associated with taking antibiotics, including overdose, arise when they self-medicate.

Signs of overdose

Antibiotics are classified into several groups based on their origin and antimicrobial activity. Signs of an overdose depend on which antibiotic it was caused by.

Overdose with cephalosporins and penicillins

When taking high doses of these drugs (Ceftriaxone, Oxacillin, Amoxicillin, etc.), the patient may experience:

nausea;
vomiting;
diarrhea;
epileptic seizures;
hyperkalemia (with the introduction of benzylpenicillin potassium salt);
encephalopathy;
mental disorders.

Overdose with tetracyclines

This type of overdose is relatively rare, since antibiotics of the tetracycline group (Tetracycline, Doxycycline) are not allowed for use in children under 8 years of age. Most often, it occurs when a child accidentally swallows tetracycline tablets, which attract him with a bright shell and a sweetish taste. Symptoms of an overdose of tetracycline antibiotics are:

nausea and vomiting;
pain in the epigastric region;
hypokalemia;
hypouricemia;
stomatitis;
small-dot rash on the skin.

Overdose with Levomycetin

An overdose of Levomycetin carries a serious health hazard, especially for children. Its first signs:

decreased or complete lack of appetite;
nausea;
vomiting;
breathing disorders.

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If the patient is not provided with medical assistance, then after 6-10 hours acute heart failure begins to develop, death is not excluded.

Both acute and chronic overdose of Levomycetin inhibits the processes of hematopoiesis in the red bone marrow, leading to characteristic changes in the picture of peripheral blood and a significant decrease in immunity.

Fluoroquinolone overdose

Fluoroquinolones (Ofloxacin, Moxifloxacin, Nevigramon) are effective, but at the same time, toxic antibacterial drugs. An overdose of them leads to a defeat with the corresponding symptoms:

of cardio-vascular system;
kidney;
liver;
articular apparatus.

Aminoglycoside overdose

Aminoglycosides (Kanamycin, Amikacin) are toxic antibiotics with a narrow therapeutic range, so they are rarely used today. In case of an overdose, it may develop:

impaired hearing function;
impaired renal function;
neuromuscular blockade.

First aid for antibiotic overdose

If antibiotics were taken orally, and no more than 2-3 hours have passed since they were taken, first aid should begin with gastric lavage. The patient is given a few glasses of cool water to drink, and then, acting on the root of the tongue, induce vomiting. This procedure should be repeated several times, until the rinsing water becomes clear. Do not wash the stomach at home for children under 3 years old, this is done only in a hospital setting.

After washing the stomach, the patient is given an aqueous suspension of activated charcoal to drink (crush the tablets into a fine powder, mix it with ½ glass of water). The dose of the drug is determined at the rate of 1-2 tab. for every 10 kg of body weight.

Patients should be given as much drink as possible. Drinking plenty of fluids will not only reduce the concentration of the antibiotic in the blood, but also accelerate its excretion through the kidneys in the urine.

Antidote

There is no specific antidote to antibiotics.

When is medical attention needed?

Medical attention is needed in all cases of antibiotic overdose.

To accelerate the elimination of the drug from the body, methods of extracorporeal detoxification are used:

forced diuresis;
plasmapheresis;
hemosorption;
hemodialysis;
peritoneal dialysis.

In some cases, an exchange transfusion is indicated.

Therapy is carried out aimed at maintaining and restoring impaired functions. For this purpose, hepatoprotectors, cardioprotectors, antioxidants, vitamin preparations, agents that improve capillary blood flow and metabolic processes in tissues are used.

Possible consequences

The prognosis for an overdose of antibiotics, subject to timely assistance to the patient, is favorable. It worsens with the development of liver and kidney damage with significant impairment of their functions. Acute renal and hepatic failure are life-threatening conditions that can become chronic and, in severe cases, fatal.

An overdose of aminoglycoside antibiotics often causes permanent hearing loss (hearing loss), since it causes irreversible damage to the auditory nerve.

An overdose of antibiotics leads to massive death of the normal intestinal microflora, which causes the development of dysbiosis, hypovitaminosis and suppression of the immune system. Patients develop immunodeficiency states, which are manifested by reinfection or superinfection.

An overdose of antibiotics is very dangerous in patients with a severe infectious and inflammatory process. It leads to the development of an infectious-toxic shock, which requires emergency medical attention. In its absence or delay, infectious toxic shock can lead to the death of the patient.

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Elena Minkina Doctor anesthesiologist-resuscitator About the author

Education: graduated from the Tashkent State Medical Institute, specializing in general medicine in 1991. Repeatedly passed refresher courses.

Work experience: anesthesiologist-resuscitator of the city maternity complex, resuscitator of the hemodialysis department.

The information is generalized and provided for informational purposes only. At the first sign of illness, see your doctor. Self-medication is hazardous to health!