Hydrocodone/oxycodone overdose

Alternative Names

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

• The patient's age, weight, and condition
• Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strength if known)
• The time it was swallowed
• The amount swallowed
• If the medication was prescribed for the patient

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

If you arrive in the emergency room it is likely that someone found you unconscious or extremely drowsy. The health care team will give you oxygen to help you breathe better.

If your breathing is so poor that doctors believe serious danger to your health exists, they will likely give you medicine to rapidly reverse all of your symptoms. Such medicine is known as an antidote. The antidote used for this type of overdose is naloxone (Narcan). However, doctors may not rush to use it. The medicine can have very severe and unpleasant side effects. As long as your breathing is acceptable, no long term damage will occur. The health care team may just closely monitor you.

Other treatments include activated charcoal with a laxative to try to soak up drug that is still left in your stomach or intestines.

Additional therapies may be needed if you took the hydrocodone/oxycodone with other drugs such as Tylenol or aspirin.

Outlook (Prognosis)

If you receive medical attention before serious problems with your breathing occur, you should have few long-term consequences, and will probably be back to normal in a day.

However, this overdose can be deadly if treatment is delayed and a large amount of oxycodone or hydrocodone is taken.

References

Goldfrank LR, Flomenbaum NE, Lewin NA, et al. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 7th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill; 2002.