Nurofen Overdose

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

Nurofen is a drug with a pronounced anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and analgesic effect. Its active ingredient is ibuprofen from the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The drug is widely used both for the treatment of adults and in pediatrics. If the recommended doses are accidentally or intentionally exceeded, an overdose of Nurofen may develop.

Source: nurofen.ru

How much Nurofen is needed for an overdose?

The maximum daily dose of Nurofen for adults is 1.6–2.4 g. For children, the maximum daily dose should not exceed 30 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

For the development of an overdose, it is necessary to take Nurofen in an amount that significantly exceeds the maximum daily dose. For example, in children, drug doses up to 100 mg / kg body weight usually do not lead to serious consequences. A dose over 400 mg / kg of body weight in a child can cause severe overdose. The amount of Nurofen that can lead to an overdose in adults is determined by the individual characteristics of the organism.

Signs of overdose

The main symptoms of a Nurofen overdose are:

stomach ache;
nausea, to which vomiting joins a little later;
lethargy, drowsiness;
double vision, nystagmus;
headache;
trismus (spasm of the chewing muscles);
transient hearing impairment, noise or ringing in the ears;
lowering blood pressure;
heart rhythm disturbances (bradycardia or tachycardia);
depression.

Source: depositphotos.com

In severe overdose, develop:

metabolic acidosis;
acute renal failure;
atrial fibrillation;
coma;
stopping breathing.

First aid for overdose with Nurofen

If no more than an hour has passed since the intake of an excessive dose of the drug, first aid should begin with gastric lavage. It is necessary to drink a few glasses of water or a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then provoke vomiting, irritating the root of the tongue. This procedure is repeated until the particles of previously eaten food are no longer detected in the washings. Attention! Children under 3-4 years old cannot wash the stomach in this way! This is done only with a gastric tube in a hospital setting.

The next stage is the intake of enterosorbent. It can be Activated carbon, Polysorb, Atoxil, Smecta or any other drug of similar action. The sorbent will bind the drug that has managed to penetrate into the small intestine, thereby preventing its further absorption into the bloodstream and the growth of intoxication.

In case of an overdose of Nurofen, it is very important to provide the victims with plenty of drink. This will reduce the concentration of the drug in the blood and accelerate its excretion from the body by increasing urine output. It is advisable to use still alkaline mineral water or plain water with the addition of a pinch of baking soda and table salt.

Antidote

There is no specific antidote to Nurofen.

When is medical attention needed?

In case of an overdose of Nurofen, in all cases, you should seek medical help, especially if a high dose of the medication was taken by a child, elderly person or a pregnant woman.

To accelerate the elimination of the drug from the body, forced diuresis with plasma alkalization is shown: intravenous infusion of glucose solutions, electrolytes and sodium bicarbonate is performed, diuretics are prescribed in parallel. The use of other methods of extracorporeal detoxification is not indicated due to their low effectiveness. However, when a patient develops acute renal failure, accompanied by hyperkalemia, high blood levels of creatinine, urea, medium molecules, hemodialysis is required.

Treatment of an overdose with Nurofen includes restoration of impaired functions of the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. With an increase in respiratory failure, it may be necessary to transfer the patient to artificial ventilation.

With the development of atrial fibrillation, antiarrhythmic drugs, such as Amiodarone or Procainamide, are administered intravenously. If the heart rhythm cannot be restored, electrical defibrillation is performed.

Possible consequences

A mild overdose of Nurofen usually does not have long-term negative consequences. The prognosis for severe Nurofen overdose is much more serious. A complication in this case can be acute (and then chronic) renal failure and even death.

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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!