Heroin overdose

• Alternative names
• Definition
• Poisonous Ingredient
• Where Found
• Symptoms

• Home Treatment
• Before Calling Emergency
• Poison Control, or a local emergency number
• What to expect at the emergency room
• Expectations (prognosis)

Alternative names   

Definition    Return to top

Poisoning from an overdose of heroin.

Poisonous Ingredient    Return to top

• heroin

Where Found    Return to top

• heroin

Symptoms    Return to top

• body as a whole
  • muscle spasticity
• respiratory
  • breathing slow and labored
  • breathing shallow
  • stopped breathing (sometimes fatal within 2-4 hours)
• eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • pinpoint pupils
  • dry mouth
  • tongue discoloration
• skin
  • bluish colored fingernails and lips
• gastrointestinal
  • spasms of the stomach and/or intestinal tract
  • constipation
• heart and blood vessels
  • weak pulse
  • low blood pressure
• nervous system
  • drowsiness
  • disorientation
  • coma
  • delirium

Home Treatment    Return to top

DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. Call emergency services and Poison Control Center.

Before Calling Emergency    Return to top

Determine the following information:

• 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

Poison Control, or a local emergency number    Return to top

They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital. See Poison Control centers for telephone numbers and addresses. Bring a sample with you to the emergency room if available.

What to expect at the emergency room    Return to top

Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:

• Use gastric lavage.
• Administer activated charcoal.
• Administer a laxative.
• Give a counteracting drug (narcotic antagonist)--multiple doses if needed.
• Administer intravenous fluids as needed.
• Monitor breathing.
• Treat the symptoms.

Expectations (prognosis)    Return to top

If an antidote can be given, recovery from an acute overdose occurs within 24 to 48 hours.