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Barbiturate intoxication and overdose - Symptom

Alternative Names

Intoxication - barbiturates

Symptoms:

Symptoms of acute barbiturate intoxication include:

Altered level of consciousness
Difficulty in thinking
Drowsiness or coma
Faulty judgment
Incoordination
Shallow breathing
Slowness of speech
Sluggishness
Slurred speech
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.

The most common physical exam findings seen in a barbituate overdose are:

Low body temperature (hypothermia)
Low blood pressure (hypotension)
Decreased breathing rate (respiratory depression)

Reviewed last on: 1/14/2010
Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Schears RM. Barbiturates. In: Tintinalli JE, Kelen GD, Stapczynski JS, Ma OJ, Cline DM, eds. Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide. 6th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2004:chap 163.

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