Health Encyclopedia

Calcium channel blocker overdose

Definition

Calcium channel blockers are a class of medication used to treat high blood pressure.

Calcium channel blocker overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medication.

Poisonous Ingredient

The specific ingredients in each type of calcium channel blocker vary. However, the main ingredient is called a calcium channel antagonist. It helps decrease the heart's pumping strength, which relaxes your blood vessels.

Where Found

Amlodipine (Norvasc)
Bepridil (Vascor)
Diltiazem (Cardizem, Dilacor)
Felodipine (Plendil)
Isradipine (DynaCirc)
Nicardipine (Cardene)
Nifedipine (Adalat, Procardia)
Nimodipine (Nimotop)
Verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan)

Note: This list may not be all-inclusive.

Symptoms

Home Treatment

Do NOT make the person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care provider.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
Time it was swallowed
Amount swallowed

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The patient may receive:

Activated charcoal
Breathing tube (artificial respiration)
Laxative
Medications to increase heart rate and blood pressure, and help reverse poisoning
Tube through the nose into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)

Expectations (prognosis)

Patients usually do not die from this type of overdose, although some deaths have been reported.

References

Olson KR, Erdman AR, Woolf AD, et al. American Association of Poison Control Centers. Calcium channel blocker ingestion: an evidence-based consensus guideline for out-of-hospital management. Clin Toxicol. 2005;43(7):797-822.

Review Date:1/23/2008
Reviewed By:Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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