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Barbiturate intoxication and overdose

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Alternative Names:

Intoxication - barbiturates

Symptoms:

Symptoms of acute barbiturate intoxication include:

• Sluggishness
• Incoordination
• Difficulty in thinking
• Slowness of speech
• Faulty judgment
• Drowsiness or coma
• Shallow breathing
• Staggering

Signs and tests:

Physical exam and clinical history are usually sufficient to make the diagnosis. Drug screens, both urine and serum, can detect barbiturates for up to 5 days after ingestion. Additional blood tests may show the severity of breathing difficulty.

• Review Date: 5/17/2006
• Reviewed By: Paul Ballas, D.O., Department of Psychiatry, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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