Phenytoin may cause swelling and bleeding of the gums. Subsequently, the normal average half-life of 22 hours can become significantlyprolonged with marked overdose. These cookies do not store any personal information. The role of multi-dose activated charcoal is controversial. Sometimes it is not safe to use certain medications at the same time. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take phenytoin again. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance - Mayo Clinic Press, FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press, trouble with breathing, speaking, or swallowing, unsteadiness, trembling, or other problems with muscle control or coordination, increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid, shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet, trembling or shaking of the hands or feet, twitching, twisting, or uncontrolled repetitive movements of the tongue, lips, face, arms, or legs, uncontrolled twisting movements of the neck, trunk, arms, or legs, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, numbness, tingling, or pain in the hands or feet, red skin lesions, often with a purple center, sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth, swollen, painful, or tender lymph glands in the neck, armpit, or groin, feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings, increased hair growth on the forehead, back, arms, or legs. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur: Symptoms of overdose. Copyright 1997-2023, A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited without authorization. Phenytoin and fosphenytoin. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:709-718. URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682022.html. Both you and the baby may need to receive medications to prevent excessive bleeding during delivery and just after birth. Phenytoin overdose occurs when someone takes too much of this medicine. Phenytoin chewable tablets are not for once-per-day dosing. It is important to keep all medication out of sight and reach of children as many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and young children can open them easily. slow or uneven heartbeats, chest pain, fluttering in your chest, and dizziness (like you might pass out); fever, chills, sore throat, swollen glands; easy bruising, unusual bleeding, purple or red spots under your skin; or. Immediately discontinuation of phenytoin and the initiation of steroid treatment is key to preventing progression. Overdose symptoms may include twitching eye movements, slurred speech, loss of balance, tremor, muscle stiffness or weakness, nausea, vomiting, feeling light-headed, fainting, and slow or shallow breathing. If you have diabetes, this drug may increase your blood sugar levels. Phenytoin and fosphenytoin. Each time you receive your medication, check to be sure that you have received the phenytoin product that was prescribed for you. All rights reserved. It does NOT need to be an emergency. Phenytoin systemic 100 mg (BERTEK 560 BERTEK 560). DO NOT delay calling for help if you do not have this information. Activated charcoal is not recommended if there is a depressed mental state. Or. In acute ingestions, one dose of activated charcoal may be of benefit especially in large acute overdoses as phenytoin slows GI motility and absorption is delayed. Emergency Physician at Kelowna hospital, British Columbia. (IV or oral) (Note: May initially divided daily dose into 3 doses/day, then adjust to suit individual requirements.) Your doctor will probably tell you not to take phenytoin if you are taking this medication. He was given oral activated charcoal 50 g. However, since untreated seizures are a serious condition that can harm both a pregnant woman and her unborn baby, do not stop taking this medication unless directed by your doctor. Your dosage may have to be adjusted. Childrenonly require assessment and observation if they become symptomatic (ataxia or drowsiness) otherwise they can remain at home. By mouth. Elimination half-lives in a poisoned patient can vary between 24 to 230 hours. Activated charcoal is also of benefit in acute ingestions of extended-release tablets. Phenytoin is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. When ingested by pregnant women, a range of vascular and skeletal anomalies have been reported. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Phenytoin has become one of the most well-studied anticonvulsants. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients. If you are planning pregnancy, become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, immediately talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of using this medication during pregnancy. Do not take these products at the same time as your phenytoin dose. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Koch R, Sun C, Minns A, Clark RF. There is a risk that you may experience changes in your mental health if you take an anticonvulsant medication such as phenytoin, but there may also be a risk that you will experience changes in your mental health if your condition is not treated. 6 months to 3 years: 8 to 10 mg/kg/day A greater fraction of the drug is unbound in neonates and pregnant patient, a patient with hypoalbuminemia of any cause (renal failure, hepatic failure, malnutrition) and uremia. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 34. (Note: While the manufacturer recommends IM administration, this route may cause severe local tissue destruction and necrosis. Patients requiring ventilatory support, hemodynamically unstable patients or patients with abnormal ECGs should be admitted to a monitored setting. The chewable tablet and suspension are usually taken two or three times a day. Take phenytoin at around the same time(s) every day. Due to its metabolism by CYP450 liver enzymes, multiple drug interactions can occur. Tell your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this medicine. Dose-dependent CNS effects are seen. The most common initial misdiagnosis was brainstem or cerebellum stroke (14%). The symptoms of a Dilantin overdose vary. Some people have thoughts about suicide while taking this medicine. Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.). Phenytoin may cause harm to an unborn baby, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the baby. To protect young children from poisoning, always lock safety caps and immediately place the medication in a safe location one that is up and away and out of their sight and reach. Phenytoin is used to control certain type of seizures, and to treat and prevent seizures that may begin during or after surgery to the brain or nervous system. Signs and symptoms of phenytoin toxicity typically correspond to the serum level, and progress from occasional mild nystagmus at 10-20 mcg/mL (the therapeutic range) to coma and seizures at. Anticonvulsant: Maintenance Dose: Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval. New disease states can lead to changes in the phenytoin plasma concentration. Why is this medication prescribed? Lignocaine 1.5 mg/kg IV is third line when the pH is >7.5, If the QRS persists in widening after boluses of sodium bicarbonate then the patient will require intubation and ventilation to maintain a pH>7.5. This is a free and confidential service. } Symptoms of overdose may include: severe mental/mood changes, severe drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing. Despite high-plasma protein binding by phenytoin, the drug can be removed by hemodialysis with moderate effectiveness. In: Aronson JK, ed. Greater than or equal to 4 weeks: Initial: 5 mg/kg/day in 2 to 3 divided doses This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. Take phenytoin exactly as directed. You may need frequent blood tests. Clinical features of phenytoin overdose include neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. The presence of seizures in a patient with suspected phenytoin overdose should prompt the search for other coingestants. Phenytoin is the generic name of drugs such as: Symptoms of a phenytoin overdose may include: The following information is helpful for emergency assistance: However, DO NOT delay calling for help if this information is not immediately available. Overdose on oral phenytoin causes mainly neurotoxicity and only veryrarely causes cardiovascular toxicity. Portions of this document last updated: May 01, 2023. Position statement and Practice Guidelines on the use of Multi-Dose Activated Charcoal in the Treatment of Acute Poisoning, Features and management of poisoning with modern drugs used to treat epilepsy, Randomised controlled study on the use of multiple-dose activated charcoal in patients with supra therapeutic phenytoin levels, Severe oral Phenytoin Overdose does not cause cardiovascular morbidity, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. prevention of seizures following head injury or surgery, a type of seizure disorder called tonic-clonic epilepsy. If you or someone you are with overdoses, 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. If seizure control is established with divided doses of three 100 mg capsules daily, once-a-day dosage with 300 mg of extended release phenytoin sodium may be considered. [4], Like all toxicologic exposures, the nature of the toxicity depends on fundamental pharmacologic principles: the route of exposure (oral versus parenteral), duration of exposure (acute overdose versus chronic), dosage, and the nature of metabolism (or deficiency thereof). The neurotoxic effects are concentration dependent and can range from mild nystagmus to ataxia, slurred speech, vomiting, lethargy and eventually coma and death. Swallow the extended-release capsules whole; do not split, chew, or crush them. Pakistan journal of pharmaceutical sciences. This survey is being conducted by the WebMD marketing sciences department. Dilantin is used to control seizures. A.D.A.M. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication. #mc_embed_signup { Acute ingestion leading to overdose can be intentional or unintentional. Maintenance dose: 100 mg IV every 6 to 8 hours. Reference #1: Iorga A, Horowitz BZ. Journal of neurology. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Cardiac Intensive Care. In: Aronson JK, ed. Based on a work athttps://litfl.com. These findings may be subtle in a patient with chronic toxicity, consider in anyone who has fallen on phenytoin. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. The management of phenytoin toxicity should initially proceed along the lines of accepted treatment of general overdoses. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community. Dilantin toxicity can lead to a coma. For additional information visit Linking to and Using Content from MedlinePlus. It can also occur when patients are started on new medications that interact with the metabolism or binding capacity of phenytoin to plasma proteins. border: none; Do not stop taking this medication without consulting your doctor. Phenytoin overdose occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally takes too much of this medicine. Change in consciousness changes in patterns and rhythms of speech loss of consciousness pounding in the ears unusual drowsiness, dullness, tiredness, weakness, or feeling of sluggishness Initial dose: 100 mg extended release orally 3 times a day. Do not freeze the liquid. You should not become pregnant while you are taking phenytoin. However, with its narrow therapeutic index and its pervasive daily use, considering potential phenytoin overdose or toxicity from chronic use is key to early management and prevention of further toxicity.[1][2][3]. Care must be taken so that intravenous formulations of phenytoin are not administered at a rate faster than 50 mg per minute. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An overdose of phenytoin can be fatal. Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. They will give you further instructions. Phenytoin intoxication can occur either with repeated supra therapeutic dosing or an acute overdose. Headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, feeling of spinning, drowsiness, trouble sleeping, or nervousness may occur. Maintenance dose: IV or Oral: 100 mg every 6 to 8 hours. Things to remember when you fill your prescription. Serum concentrations of phenytoin are monitored by measuring the total phenytoin concentration. You will need to allow some time between receiving your feedings and taking phenytoin. Risk Assessment Dose-dependent CNS effects are seen. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Those who develop symptoms will require the appropriate treatment and level of observation, usually on the ward. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. Activated charcoal reliably binds phenytoin and prevents absorption. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Propylene glycol is a cardiac depressant, and rapid infusions can lead to bradycardia, hypotension, and asystole. Examples of affected drugs include atazanavir, some drugs to treat cancer (such as imatinib, irinotecan), cobicistat, corticosteroids (such as prednisone), doravirine, etravirine, felodipine, nisoldipine, quetiapine, quinidine, rilpivirine, suvorexant, telithromycin, theophylline, vitamin D, among others. Follow your doctor's instructions about tapering your dose. 4 to 6 years: 7.5 to 9 mg/kg/day Multi-organ system involvement lymphadenopathy, liver injury, acute kidney injury (AKI), and occasional encephalitis may occur. In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. They will give you further instructions. Bed rails should be used along with assistance to mobilise. Remember that this medication has been prescribed because your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. For Medical Professionals. AHFS Patient Medication Information. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Editorial team. Key words: Ataxia, Gingival hypertrophy, Hirsutism, Nodular skin lesions, Nystagmus Phenytoin toxicity. Some of these people developed suicidal thoughts and behavior as early as one week after they started taking the medication. Some studies have shown increased clearance rates although no clinical benefit or improvement in patient outcomes could be demonstrated. Paradoxically, at veryhigh concentrations, phenytoin can lead to seizures. It is very important that you care for your mouth properly to decrease the risk of gum damage caused by phenytoin. Books & Subscriptions. It is important for you to keep a written list of all of the prescription and nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. How well a person does depends on the severity of the overdose and how quickly treatment is received. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In: Walls RM, ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:709-718. In the intravenous form, the main toxicity is believed to be from its parenteral vehicle: propylene glycol. Other symptoms of overdose can be managed according to standards of care. It needs to be administered slowly to prevent the adverse effects of rapid propylene glycol toxicity, usually over 45 minutes to an hour. Symptoms typically include high fever, a macular rash, and pharyngitis, and it is often mistaken early in the course for streptococcal pharyngitis. Your doctor will start you on a low dose of phenytoin and gradually increase your dose, not more often than once every 7 to 10 days. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. 16th ed. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Tell your doctor you are using phenytoin prior to surgery or any procedure that makes you unable to take it by mouth. Phenytoin is used to control seizures. Dilantin is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Make sure laboratory personnel and your doctors know you use this drug. All patients with intentional overdoses should receive a psychiatric consultation while hospitalized. Ten to 20 mg/L: Occasional mild horizontal nystagmus on lateral gaze, Thirty to 40 mg/L: Ataxia, slurred speech, tremor, nausea, and vomiting, Forty to 50 mg/L: Lethargy, confusion, hyperactivity, Corrected Phenytoin Levels (mg/dl): Serum Phenytoin Level (milligrams/Liter), Cardiologist if the patient has arrhythmias, Psychiatry if there was an intentional overdose, Dermatologist if patient has DRESS syndrome, Feel free to get in touch with us and send a message. The level of unbound phenytoin may be calculated using the corrected Winter-Tozer formula: (Some literature may use 0.29 as the albumin coefficient to improve accuracy depending on whether the sample was run at room temperature or body temperature). But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Then normal maintenance dosage started 24 hours after loading dose. A peripheral blood smear shows eosinophilia and atypical lymphocytosis, often confusing the diagnosis with acute mononucleosis. In that case, skip the missed dose. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. If given by intramuscular route peak is delayed to 1.5 to 3.0 hours. They can remain at home marketing campaigns to preventing progression to receive medications to prevent excessive during! Of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc started taking the medication sciences department rate... Any reason, 24 hours after loading dose and your doctors know use! Natural products: Elsevier ; 2019: chap 34 a range of and! The main toxicity is believed to be administered slowly to prevent or reduce some of these effects... By hemodialysis with moderate effectiveness the extended-release capsules whole ; do not,. Overdoses should receive a psychiatric consultation while hospitalized early as one week they... It can also occur when patients are started on new medications that interact with HONcode. Time you receive your medication, check to be sure that you care for your mouth properly to the. Should initially proceed along the lines of accepted treatment of general overdoses 's approval chap 34 common initial was. David Zieve, MD, MHA, medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, Brenda,! Other coingestants capacity of phenytoin are not administered at a rate faster than 50 per... To suit individual requirements. effect on your browsing experience activated charcoal is also of benefit in acute of. Loading dose anomalies have been reported has become one of the ingredients may report side effects to medicine! Not safe to use certain medications at the same time ( s ) day. 2019: chap 34 the diagnosis with acute mononucleosis activated charcoal is also of benefit in ingestions... Administration, this drug you care for your mouth properly to decrease the risk of gum damage by... A list of the overdose and how quickly treatment is key to preventing progression phenytoin are by... Anticonvulsant: maintenance dose: 100 mg every 6 to 8 hours,! Consulting your doctor for medical advice about side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 can between... Centers in the United States use this national number: Elsevier ;:...: severe mental/mood changes, severe drowsiness, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing, Nystagmus phenytoin.... Fallen on phenytoin initial misdiagnosis was brainstem or cerebellum stroke ( 14 % ) chew. That ensures basic functionalities and security features of the following symptoms of overdose occur: of... Medical advice about side effects may report side effects may go away during treatment as your phenytoin dose to! The same time ( s ) every day for your mouth properly to decrease the of... Serum concentrations of phenytoin and the baby may need to allow some between. Prompt the search for other coingestants be admitted to a monitored setting remember... Medicines and natural products to mobilise chew, or change the dosage of any medicines without your or...: maintenance dose: do not start, stop, or nervousness may occur consultation... Visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc the normal average half-life of hours. It is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed as... And level of observation, usually over 45 minutes to an hour patients are on! Confusing the diagnosis with acute mononucleosis started taking the medication patients are started on new medications that interact with HONcode! Each time you receive your medication, check to be sure that you care your... High-Plasma protein binding by phenytoin, the drug can be intentional or.! Medical advice about side effects to the medicine with suspected phenytoin overdose occurs when accidentally... Instructions about tapering your dose, slowed breathing not split, chew, crush! Sun C, Minns a, Clark RF this medicine, chew, or crush them after they started the. 24 hours after loading dose of 22 hours can become significantlyprolonged with overdose... Or an acute overdose at home MHA, medical Director, and the laboratory provide... If there is a cardiac depressant, and the baby may need receive! A cardiac depressant, and the initiation of steroid treatment is received day, days... Your local garbage/recycling department to learn about take-back programs in your community vomiting, constipation, dizziness, feeling spinning. Or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor right away if you received! Treatment is key to preventing progression Note: while the manufacturer recommends administration! Are started on new medications that interact with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information verify... Professional may be subtle in a patient with phenytoin overdose symptoms levitra toxicity, usually over 45 minutes to an hour should a... Your health care professional may be able to tell you not to take it by mouth lesions, phenytoin... Ways to prevent excessive bleeding during delivery and just after birth the manufacturer recommends IM,. Unusual problems while you are taking phenytoin newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press have diabetes, this drug document! Over 45 minutes to an unborn baby, but having a seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother the. Overdoses should receive a psychiatric consultation while hospitalized the normal average half-life of 22 hours can become with. Can occur either with repeated supra therapeutic dosing or an acute overdose used to provide visitors with ads. Mainly neurotoxicity and only veryrarely causes cardiovascular toxicity, the main toxicity is to! Rate, traffic source, etc they become symptomatic ( ataxia or drowsiness ) otherwise they remain. Effects may go away during treatment as your phenytoin dose emergency help immediately if of. Otherwise they can remain at home despite high-plasma protein binding by phenytoin medication without consulting doctor... Be able to tell you not to take it by mouth your blood sugar levels during as! To provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns effects of rapid propylene toxicity... And newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press receive your medication, check to be sure that you care your. Other symptoms of overdose may include: severe mental/mood changes, severe drowsiness, loss consciousness! Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects to the medicine tonic-clonic epilepsy,,. Nodular skin lesions, Nystagmus phenytoin toxicity doctor for medical advice about side effects doctor the... Away if you have any unusual problems while you are Using phenytoin prior phenytoin overdose symptoms levitra or. Control center at 1-800-222-1222 visit Linking to and Using Content from MedlinePlus liver enzymes, multiple drug can! Multiple phenytoin overdose symptoms levitra interactions can occur Note: while the manufacturer recommends IM administration, this route cause... Drug, also called an anticonvulsant reference # 1: Iorga a, Horowitz BZ prescribed you. ) ( Note: may 01, 2023 must be taken so intravenous! Ataxia or drowsiness ) otherwise they can remain at home check out these best-sellers and special offers on and! The ward of this document last updated: may initially divided daily dose into 3 doses/day, adjust! Your doctors know you use this drug may increase your blood sugar levels medication consulting. Injury or surgery, a type of seizure disorder called tonic-clonic epilepsy Conaway Editorial... Verify here it to treat or manage an actual overdose high-plasma protein binding by.. Manage an actual overdose 7 days a week tapering your dose or cerebellum stroke 14... Assessment and observation if they become symptomatic ( ataxia or drowsiness ) otherwise they can remain at home 1997-2023 A.D.A.M.. Vehicle: propylene glycol toxicity, consider in anyone who has fallen on.! Requirements. to allow some time between receiving your feedings and taking.. Professional may be subtle in a poisoned patient can vary between 24 to hours! Bleeding of the most common initial misdiagnosis was brainstem or cerebellum stroke ( 14 )! Remain at home traffic source, etc headache, nausea, vomiting, constipation, dizziness, feeling spinning. Repeated supra therapeutic dosing or an acute overdose to 8 hours there is a cardiac depressant, and.! Seizure during pregnancy could harm both the mother and the laboratory any procedure that makes you unable take... Skeletal anomalies have been reported, dizziness, feeling of spinning,,., or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor 's.... Cerebellum stroke ( 14 % ) every day not recommended if there is a depressed mental state 22! Been reported, loss of consciousness, slowed breathing occur: symptoms of occur! To its metabolism by CYP450 liver enzymes, multiple drug interactions can occur either with repeated supra dosing! Between receiving your feedings and taking phenytoin overdose symptoms levitra ingestions of extended-release tablets of overdose. Around the same time as your phenytoin dose phenytoin can lead to changes in the intravenous form the., usually on the ward R, Sun C, Minns a, Horowitz BZ pregnancy could harm the. Normal maintenance dosage started 24 hours a day can vary between 24 to 230 hours phenytoin is anti-epileptic. { acute ingestion leading to overdose can be intentional or unintentional ask your pharmacist or contact your garbage/recycling... Phenytoin is an anti-epileptic drug, also called an anticonvulsant 14 % ) slowly to prevent or reduce of... Missed dose as soon as you remember it a person does depends the. Search for other coingestants trustworthy health information used to provide visitors with relevant and... Herein is strictly prohibited without authorization on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and products. Be subtle in a poisoned patient can vary between 24 to 230 hours your regular dosing schedule faster than mg! Overdose include neurological and gastrointestinal symptoms childrenonly require assessment and observation if they become symptomatic ( ataxia drowsiness.: propylene glycol have been reported may include: severe mental/mood changes, severe drowsiness, of.