Reserpine overdosage

Reserpine
Reserpine® FDA Package Insert
Indications and Usage
Dosage and Administration
Contraindications
Warnings
Precautions
Adverse Reactions
Drug Interactions
Use in Specific Populations
Overdosage
Description
Clinical Pharmacology
Nonclinical Toxicology
How Supplied/Storage and Handling
Patient Counseling Information
Labels and Packages
Clinical Trials on Reserpine
ClinicalTrials.gov

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Abdurahman Khalil, M.D. [2]

Overdosage

Acute Toxicity

No deaths due to acute poisoning with reserpine have been reported.

Highest known doses survived: children, 1000 mg (age and sex not specified); young children, 200 mg (20-month-old boy).

Oral LD50's in animals (mg/kg): rat, 2993; mouse, 47 and 500.

Signs and Symptoms

The clinical picture of acute poisoning is characterized chiefly by signs and symptoms due to the reflex parasympathomimetic effect of reserpine.

Impairment of consciousness may occur and may range from drowsiness to coma, depending upon the severity of overdosage. Flushing of the skin, conjunctival injection, and pupillary constriction are to be expected. Hypotension, hypothermia, central respiratory depression, and bradycardia may develop in cases of severe overdosage. Increased salivary and gastric secretion and diarrhea may also occur.

Treatment

There is no specific antidote.

Stomach contents should be evacuated, taking adequate precautions against aspiration and for protection of the airway. Activated charcoal slurry should be instilled.

The effects of reserpine overdosage should be treated symptomatically. If hypotension is severe enough to require treatment with a vasopressor, one having a direct action upon vascular smooth muscle (e.g., phenylephrine, levarterenol, metaraminol) should be used. Since reserpine is long-acting, the patient should be observed carefully for at least 72 hours, and treatment administered as required.