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Drug overdose

General information

A person who is unconscious from a drug overdose needs urgent medical attention. Emergency first aid measures as described on the ABC of life support (1) and (2) pages should be followed. Overdosage, however, does not always present itself in such a dramatic fashion.

Other modes of presentation include:

The person presenting in a drowsy state

It is usually difficult to determine the amount and type of tablet that has been taken, due to loss of memory caused by the overdosage or due to deliberate lack of cooperation (perhaps out of fear of recrimination). Thus a person's assurance that nothing or little has been taken cannot be accepted, and urgent attention must always be sought (see 'Drowsiness' for a case example and advice about drowsiness).

Threatened overdosage

Medical opinion should always be sought in this situation. Certain clues, such as finding empty pill containers, syringes, drugs, the breath smelling unusual, fresh needle tracks around the arm veins, and known recent head injury, need to be reported, as this information will help emergency services assess urgency of treatment.