BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHydromorphone overdoseHydromorphone is a prescription medicine used to relieve severe pain. Hydromorphone overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the normal or recommended amount of something, often a drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sympt...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Hydromorphone is a type of morphine. Hydromorphone is an opioid narcotic, which means it is an extremely powerful drug that can cause very deep sleep.People who take hydromorphone for pain should not drink alcohol. Combining alcohol with this drug increases the chance for dangerous side effects and overdose symptoms. Where Found Medicines with these names contain hydromorphone:Dilaudid Hydrostat ExalgoOther medicines may also contain hydromorphone. Symptoms Symptoms of a hydromorphone overdose include:Bluish-colored fingernails and lips Bluish-colored fingernails and lipsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Breathing problems, including slow and labored breathing, shallow breathing, or no breathing Slow and labored breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Shallow breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article No breathingBreathing that stops from any cause is called apnea. Slowed breathing is called bradypnea. Labored or difficult breathing is known as dyspnea....Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cold, clammy skin Low body temperature Coma Confusion Constipation Dizziness Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep in when they do not want to or at times w...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fatigue Flushing of the skin Itching Lightheadedness Loss of consciousness Low blood pressure Muscle twitches Muscle twitchesMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomiting Pinpoint pupils Spasms of the stomach and intestines SpasmsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness Weak pulse Warning: A severe overdose of hydromorphone can cause death. Home Care This can be a serious overdose. Seek medical help right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person DO NOT delay calling for help if you don't have this information. Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container to the hospital with you, if possible. The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray CT scan (computerized tomography or advanced imaging) ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effect of the hydromorphone and treat symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) Outlook (Prognosis) People who quickly receive medicine (called an antidote) to reverse the effect of hydromorphone can recover within 1 to 4 hours. They may need to stay in the hospital for more doses of the antidote. Complications such as pneumonia, muscle damage from lying on a hard surface for a long period of time, or brain damage from lack of oxygen may result in permanent disability. However, unless there are complications, long-term effects and death are rare.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Opioid receptor agonists. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:348-380.Nikolaides JK, Thompson TM. Opioids. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 156.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/13/2021 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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Hydromorphone overdoseHydromorphone is a prescription medicine used to relieve severe pain. Hydromorphone overdose occurs when someone takes more than the normal or recommended amount of this medicine. This can be by accident or on purpose.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. OverdoseAn overdose is when you take more than the normal or recommended amount of something, often a drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sympt...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Poisonous Ingredient Hydromorphone is a type of morphine. Hydromorphone is an opioid narcotic, which means it is an extremely powerful drug that can cause very deep sleep.People who take hydromorphone for pain should not drink alcohol. Combining alcohol with this drug increases the chance for dangerous side effects and overdose symptoms. Where Found Medicines with these names contain hydromorphone:Dilaudid Hydrostat ExalgoOther medicines may also contain hydromorphone. Symptoms Symptoms of a hydromorphone overdose include:Bluish-colored fingernails and lips Bluish-colored fingernails and lipsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Breathing problems, including slow and labored breathing, shallow breathing, or no breathing Slow and labored breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Shallow breathingMost people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...Read Article Now Book Mark Article No breathingBreathing that stops from any cause is called apnea. Slowed breathing is called bradypnea. Labored or difficult breathing is known as dyspnea....Read Article Now Book Mark Article Cold, clammy skin Low body temperature Coma Confusion Constipation Dizziness Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep in when they do not want to or at times w...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fatigue Flushing of the skin Itching Lightheadedness Loss of consciousness Low blood pressure Muscle twitches Muscle twitchesMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Nausea and vomiting Pinpoint pupils Spasms of the stomach and intestines SpasmsMuscle cramps are when a muscle gets tight (contracts) without you trying to tighten it, and it does not relax. Cramps may involve all or part of on...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness Weak pulse Warning: A severe overdose of hydromorphone can cause death. Home Care This can be a serious overdose. Seek medical help right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known) Time it was swallowed Amount swallowed If the medicine was prescribed for the person DO NOT delay calling for help if you don't have this information. Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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. What to Expect at the Emergency Room Take the container to the hospital with you, if possible. The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Chest x-ray CT scan (computerized tomography or advanced imaging) ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to reverse the effect of the hydromorphone and treat symptoms Activated charcoal Laxative Breathing support, including a tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) Outlook (Prognosis) People who quickly receive medicine (called an antidote) to reverse the effect of hydromorphone can recover within 1 to 4 hours. They may need to stay in the hospital for more doses of the antidote. Complications such as pneumonia, muscle damage from lying on a hard surface for a long period of time, or brain damage from lack of oxygen may result in permanent disability. However, unless there are complications, long-term effects and death are rare.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Opioid receptor agonists. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:348-380.Nikolaides JK, Thompson TM. Opioids. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 156.
