Symptoms can appear as soon as 15 to 20 minutes after taking too much. (Links to The Medical Letter review and the FDA warning are below.). Overdosage can be fatal, especially in children. describe fatalities in 20 of the 31 overdose cases reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS), recognizing a rapid onset of symptoms (within 1 h) and a relatively low margin for safety (6). information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of 2. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Benzonatate capsules are to be swallowed whole and are not to be broken, chewed, dissolved, or crushed. Benzonatate can cause a severe allergic reaction. If the symptoms worsen or persist, seek medical attention. Benzonatate is a polyglycol derivative structurally related to procaine and tetracaine. Benzonatate may also be called an anti-tussive. Version: 9.01. (Links to The Medical Letter review and the FDA warning are below.). Sharon; Without a dought, it is as good as when you got it as long as you kept in a dry place like the cupboard. https://www.drugs.com/pro/benzonatate.html. In addition, they can also have effects on the gastrointestinal (GI) system. You should not use this medicine if you are allergic to benzonatate or topical numbing medicines such as tetracaine or procaine (found in some insect bite and sunburn creams). When filling your prescription, be sure to call ahead to make sure your pharmacy carries it. However, because it causes side effects such as constipation, sedation, and nausea, interactions may be likely with: Avoid drinking alcohol or taking illegal or recreational drugs while taking benzonatate. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Pfizer, Inc., Madison, NJ; Crouch, B.I., Knick, K.A., Crouch, D.J., Matsumura, K.S., Rollins, D.E. Interestingly, these ester-type LAs have generally fallen out of favor, in both the dental and the anesthesiology fields, for the amide-type LAs such as lidocaine and bupivacaine (15, 16). Still looking for answers? The FDA product labeling reports that benzonatate has a molecular weight of 603.7 g/mol with a side chain of nine ethoxy units. This may cause you to feel dizzy or faint. You can take benzonatate with or without food. Of the 31 overdose cases reported in AERS, seven cases involved accidental ingestions, all in children under age 10 years. Coughing can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and patients can be desperate for relief. Data also suggests it may work centrally (i.e. pug? It is chemically related to medicines used as local anesthetics and works by numbing the nerves in the lungs which trigger a cough reflex. Available for Android and iOS devices. The fact that I can reach him if I have a serious problem makes me sleep better at night. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW The Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic Press, NEW Ending the Opioid Crisis - Mayo Clinic Press, FREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic Press, Mayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic Press. Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough medicine. (. If children accidentally take benzonatate seek medical attention immediately. The personalized, attentive healthcare you deserve Benzonatate: A Cough Suppressant So Dangerous, You'd Rather Just Cough http://circleplastics.co.uk/author/vicki/ Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. Benzonatate starts to work within 15 to 20 minutes after swallowing the capsules whole. Is It Possible to Get RSV More Than Once? For pregnant women: Benzonatate is a category C pregnancy drug. Sedation, headache, constipation, nausea, itchiness, skin rash, nasal congestion, a burning sensation in the eyes. Accidental death has occurred in children under 10 years old. The Medical Letter authors conclude when a cough suppressant is truly necessary, dextromethorphan or even codeine might be a safer choice. When codeine compares favorably in safety to another medicine, it might be time to reconsider why we ever use it. Benzonatate benzonatate capsule. Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2023. Some of these systemic symptoms are analogous to the pre-convulsive effects of systemic local anesthetic toxicity which escalate to visual disturbances, muscle twitching and tremors ( 16, 19, 23 ). Is benzonatate dangerous? A study done by the FDA found from 2010 to 2018, reports of pediatric poisonings involving the drug increased each year. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). Individuals who experience overdose of benzonatate may exhibit restlessness, tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Some of these side effects may result from chewing or. Available for Android and iOS devices. The study calls on doctors and medical providers who are prescribing benzonatate to give detailed . Used to relieve a dry, irritating cough. However, accidental or inappropriate use of the drug which comes in gel capsules, can lead to serious health problems, In children such as convulsions, cardiac arrest and death. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Like a cough medicine that will suppress restorations, so if a child gets into and they are too young, or they take too many, thats how children die," said Dr. Baggerman. This product is available in the following dosage forms: There is a problem with The quantities ingested ranged from 1 or 2 to 30 benzonatate capsules. Signs and symptoms of benzonatate overdose can occur rapidly after ingestion (within 15-20 minutes) and may include restlessness, tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. Reynolds, S.M., Mackenzie, A.J., Spina, D., Page, C.P. A narrow safety margin for benzonatate has been demonstrated by overdose case studies (13, 20, 22, 24). (2015, December). Is it still safe to take? 100 mg to 200 mg orally three times a day as needed for cough How long after exp. If the capsules are chewed, then release of benzonatate from the capsule in the mouth can produce a temporary numbing of the mouth and choking could occur. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. They cant hurt your medication. Take the medication out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. Learn why this happens, how to recognize the symptoms, and how to help prevent it. You may need to decide whether to stop breastfeeding or stop taking this medication. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. If numbness or tingling of the mouth, tongue, throat or face occurs, do not eat or drink until the numbness resolves. View complete list of side effects. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. There havent been enough studies done in humans to be certain how the drug might affect the fetus. Benzonatate relieves cough by acting directly on the lungs and the breathing passages. Benzonatate may also be called an anti-tussive. Benzonatate information for Healthcare Professionals. Unusual reactions to p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA)-derived ester-based LAs have been associated with these underlying allergies; however, the incidence of true IgE-mediated reactions is unknown and presumed to be rare (1518). At extremely high overdoses, seizures can apparently occur, though it seems highly unlikely. Keep it in your carry-on bag. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Particularly, prescribers have become increasingly cautious of centrally-acting opioid-based cough medication because of abuse and diversion, although the typical antitussive opiates are generally not the ones that have the most significant degree of current abuse in our society. The old adage, when in doubt, throw it out, really applies here! The FDA warning focused on accidental overdose in children under 10. An overdose of benzonatate can be fatal, especially to a child. Be sure to tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, or herbs youre taking. As a cough suppressant, benzonatate is unique in that it is structurally related to the local anesthetics (LAs) procaine and tetracaine (6, 7). Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. Benzonatate. It works by reducing the cough reflex in the lungs and air passages. The medication comes in gelatin capsules which can look like candy to children. Never suck or chew on a benzonatate capsule. It does not smell nor look bad and it has been in a dark cabinet. Taking more benzonatate than prescribed will not make your cough go away faster but may result in serious side effects. No exp. Do not take more than 200 mg of benzonatate at one time. Taken in overdose, benzonatate can rapidly cause seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and death. Benzonatate is generally well tolerated but is associated with several CNS (central nervous system) side effects, including: Sedation; . Can celebrex expire/go bad? Always carry your medication with you. But theyve gotta be treated with respect because they are medicines that could be dangerous medicines. LFTs require periodic surveillance. Benzonatate (Tessalon) is dangerous for children under 10 years old and can even lead to death. Sucking or chewing the capsule may cause your mouth and throat to feel numb or cause other serious side effects. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash. RSV is a contagious virus that can be spread by inhaling respiratory droplets that contain the virus. The effects last for 3 to 8 hours. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. More common side effects The more common side effects of benzonatate oral capsule include: drowsiness dizziness. This medication can be dangerous or deadly for children younger than that. An overdose can be fatal, especially to a young child who has accidentally swallowed the medicine. Copyright 2023 IBM Watson Health. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). STORAGE: Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Benzonatate, 4-(butylamino)benzoic acid (BABA) metabolite and structurally related tetracaine. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Vaccine, What to Know About RSVs Seasonal Trends and Symptoms, What to know about Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Tests, The 8 Best Air Purifiers for Dust of 2023, Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI, Symptoms of a Collapsed Trachea and What They Mean. Details obtained through investigation by the medical examiner helped to support the possibility of benzonatate over-ingestion in some of our in-house cases. (, Understanding the Epidemic. Is it safe to take? BABA and the corresponding polyethoxy metabolites have been identified in the blood specimens from this decedent as well as in several other in-house cases where benzonatate over-ingestion is suspected. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with If we combine this information with your protected via the central nervous system) by inhibiting the transmission of the cough reflex via pathways in the brain. Catalog No. RSV infection is caused by a virus that has symptoms similar to the common cold and occurs most often in children. It may also act on the cough center in the brain. Dr. Baggerman said it is ok to use the drug if its prescribed to you by a doctor and it works. Benzonatate, sold by the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to treat coughs caused by colds or the flu. (, Bishop-Freeman, S.C., Feaster, M.S., Miller, A., Beal, J.L., Hargrove, R., Brower, J.O. A prescription for this medication is refillable. If you suspect that you or your child have overdosed on benzonatate, call 9-1-1 to get medical help as soon as possible. (. Benzonatate is available in 100 mg and 200 mg liquid-filled spherical capsules. All rights reserved. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Symptoms of an overdose include: If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center. Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Signs and symptoms of overdosage include tremors, convulsions, coma, and heart attack. Benzonatate is used to relieve cough. Benzonatate may be used as part of a combination therapy. This drug should be used only if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the fetus. Take each dose with a full glass of water. Select one or more newsletters to continue. Can you use Benzonatate after the expiration date on the bottle? Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Learn about the causes and, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes symptoms similar to the common cold. Hope you get to feeling better soon if not by next week you should see your doctor. Benzonatate may be used to relieve the symptoms of a dry cough. Last updated on May 26, 2022. It starts working about 1520 minutes after you swallow it. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. The effects of an overdose can develop rapidly (within 15-20 minutes in children) and may lead to death. Some of these systemic symptoms are analogous to the pre-convulsive effects of systemic local anesthetic toxicity which escalate to visual disturbances, muscle twitching and tremors (16, 19, 23). Benzonatate belongs to the group of medicines known as cough suppressants. other medications that may also upset the gastrointestinal tract, such as prednisone or NSAIDs (such as ibuprofen or naproxen). Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history. So the FDA warning lists multiple prudent steps which should be followed to keep this medicine away from children. Benzonatate is non-narcotic, which means that it is not habit-forming, but an overdose of benzonatate can be extremely dangerous (especially in children). The biggest increase was 24% from 2015 to 2016. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. include protected health information. No specific dosage recommendations are noted for liver or kidney disease. RSV is an infection in your airways. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. It is chemically related to medicines used as local anesthetics and works by numbing the nerves in the lungs which trigger a cough reflex. In several of the published over-ingestion cases, as well as those observed in our office, only a small handful of pills was enough to cause seizures, a cardiac event and death. Important legal mumbo jumbo: Posted on February 4, 2011 by Albert Fuchs. Do not give this medication to a child younger than 10 years old without medical advice. Does Benzonatate make you loopy like a narcotic cough medication or just sleepy like Benadryl? Put the medication in a sealable bag, empty can with a tight lid, or other container to prevent it from breaking out of a garbage bag. Ask your doctor before using opioid medication, a sleeping pill, a muscle relaxer, or medicine for anxiety or seizures. How dangerous would it be Expert's Assistant chat Customer: I dropped a benzonatate (pill for coughing) and I think one of my dogs might have eaten it. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. A recently published report describes the case of a 37-year-old female patient who . Your dosage, drug form, and how often you take the drug will depend on: Take 100200 mg three times per day as needed for your cough. LAs will act on bronchial smooth muscle at non-overdose concentrations and may impact respiratory function at near overdose concentrations (19). (, Yoshioka, I., Surmaitis, R., Katz, K.D. In overdose the medication can rapidly cause tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. Can ChatGPT write a Jewish Journal column. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Not recommended during pregnancy; only use if benefits outweigh risks. Can be taken up to three times daily. It is not to be used for chronic cough that occurs with smoking, asthma, or emphysema or when there is an unusually large amount of mucus or phlegm with the cough. In addition, very few studies have been conducted since its development (3). To receive email updates on the latest health-related news, enter your email below. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. The Medical Letter authors conclude when a cough suppressant is truly necessary, dextromethorphan or even codeine might be a safer choice. When codeine compares favorably in safety to another medicine, it might be time to reconsider why we ever use it. If you do not understand your doctor's orders, ask your doctor or . Therefore,prescribing benzonatate to that age group is not recommended. You should not use this medication if you are allergic to benzonatate or topical numbing medicines such as tetracaine or procaine (found in some insect bite and sunburn creams). Dont store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms. Benzonatate is a prescription drug approved for relief of cough in patients over 10 years of age. Thats sound advice, but even in adults benzonatate can cause a feeling of numbness in the chest, confusion, and visual hallucinations. The old adage, when in doubt, throw it out, really applies here! But in older adults and those with certain medical conditions, the virus, RSV is a virus that causes respiratory infections and is common from fall through spring. The more common side effects of benzonatate oral capsule include: If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. Can be taken up to three times daily. 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Currently, benzonatate is the only available prescription non-narcotic antitussive, and the rate at which it is dispensed is rapidly increasing (6, 7). U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, USP Certificate Copyright 2015 Certificate Date:10Nov2015, USP Template No. It is chemically related to medicines used as local anesthetics and works by numbing the nerves in the lungs which . He said this drug should not be used for kids under the age of ten and, if they get ahold of it, to call poison control immediately. That means two things: Talk to your doctor if youre pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Use: Symptomatic relief of cough, Children older than 10 years: Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. 2. Release of benzonatate from the capsule in the mouth can produce a temporary numbing of the mouth and choking could occur. ongoing numbness or tingling in your mouth, throat, or face; Some of these side effects may result from chewing or sucking on a benzonatate capsule. Use: Symptomatic relief of cough. Coughing can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and patients can be desperate for relief. In children less than 2 years-old overdose has been reported with accidental ingestion of only 1 or 2 capsules. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. It is taken three times a day with food. RI. Common benzonatate side effects may include: This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Always carry the original prescription-labeled box with you. Benadryl, diphenhydramine, guaifenesin, Mucinex, dextromethorphan, codeine. Answer this question 3 Answers SD SDeering 5 Jan 2022 Is it still safe to take benzonatate 100 mg capsules purchased on 5/04/16 +0 CH chuck1957 27 Jan 2017 Sharon; Without a dought, it is as good as when you got it as long as you kept in a dry place like the cupboard. Pirfenidone is an antifibrotic medication without a known mechanism of action. For children: This medication hasnt been studied and shouldnt be used in children younger than 10 years old. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. Benzonatate relieves cough by acting directly on the lungs and the breathing passages. Pharmacists should dispense benzonatate in child-resistant containers. To find out how benzonatate oral capsule might interact with something else youre taking, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Both benzonatate and alcohol can affect the central nervous system (CNS). This content does not have an Arabic version. RSV is a contagious virus. Benzonatate is in a class of medications called antitussives (cough suppressants). If the patient chews or sucks the liquid-filled capsules or "softgels", the drug can cause laryngospasm, bronchospasm and circulatory collapse. Blood data is inconclusive or unavailable in the majority of death cases (6, 10), however fatalities have been reported with blood concentrations of 5 and 35 mg/L (9, 22). Taking too much Tessalon is dangerous. It is not to be used for chronic cough that occurs with smoking, asthma, or emphysema or when there is an unusually large amount of mucus or phlegm with the cough. You shouldnt break, chew, cut, or crush this drug. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Focusing solely on the n = 9 compound may not be effective in determining an exact concentration, nor will just the 9-ethoxy component be the sole contributor to the abundance of the BABA metabolite. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be managed. Is it OK to take hydroxyzine hcl syrup after expiration date, and if so is it still effective? Take benzonatate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Use a cool mist humidifier or a vaporizer to increase air moisture in your home. (2016, December 6). Other drugs may interact with benzonatate, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. You'll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. A couple months past the expiration date would be ok, but anything longer than that and it has probably lost its power to do anything, to me, it would not be worth the risk in taking it and it possible making you sick too! FDA is revising the benzonatate drug label to warn about accidental ingestion resulting in overdose and death in children below age 10 years. Talk to your doctor if you breastfeed your child. This may make it easier for you to breathe and help decrease your cough. (, Dicpinigaitis, P.V., Gayle, Y.E., Solomon, G., Gibert, R.D. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Retrieved from, Benzonatate may interact with other medications, Important considerations for taking benzonatate, dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=54374c04-63b9-49fa-b6a2-4a711e322d8e, accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2011/011210s053lbl.pdf. Tell your doctor if your condition lasts or gets worse. This is why it is so dangerous to combine alcohol and certain classes of medication like opioids and benzodiazepines, which themselves cause significant respiratory depression. Medicines that interact with benzonatate may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works for, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with benzonatate. Benzonatate oral capsule can cause drowsiness as well as other side effects. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. When a therapeutic dose, administered as a single capsule, is chewed or crushed, there is potential for bronchospasm, laryngospasm, seizures and cardiovascular collapse which mimics the systemic toxicity seen at high doses (6, 15, 19, 20). Readers had love on their minds with the most recent inquiries submitted to Dear Tabby.. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. : 1056005. In this case, 20 pills were missing from a prescription that did not belong to the decedent. Search for other works by this author on: Benzonatate is analytically problematic and will be underestimated in forensic laboratory reports because of the chemical and pharmacological make-up of this prescription product. Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use benzonatate only for the indication prescribed. Not every pharmacy stocks this drug. An official website of the United States government, : FDA encourages healthcare professionals to talk with their patients about this risk. Anything you read on the web should be used to supplement, not replace, your doctors advice. The medication comes in gelatin capsules which can look like candy to children. Its major side effects are nausea, abdominal discomfort, and photosensitivity. (2017, March 22), Tessalon 100 mg perles, 200 mg capsules (benzonatate, USP). If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Some of these side effects may result from chewing or sucking on a capsule. Review/update the Some may be better suited for you than others. Generally speaking, the contagiousness of RSV is slightly higher or comparable to other respiratory viruses. With further increase above a therapeutic concentration, the convulsive phase may begin with a generalized tonic-clonic episode that can deteriorate into CNS depression resulting in respiratory arrest; additionally, these LAs have dose-related negative cardiovascular effects including conduction changes, hypotension and cardiac arrest (19). Sandra C. Bishop-Freeman, Erin M. Shonsey, Laura W. Friederich, Michael C. Beuhler, Ruth E. Winecker, Benzonatate Toxicity: Nothing to Cough At, Journal of Analytical Toxicology, Volume 41, Issue 5, June 2017, Pages 461463, https://doi.org/10.1093/jat/bkx021. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough medicine to a child. (, Bishop-Freeman, S.C., Miller, A., Hensel, E.M., Winecker, R.E. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you. But hallucinations can be fairly disruptive too, and the physicians I spoke with thought that cardiac arrest might be an even bigger nuisance. This switch has been partially attributed to allergies associated with their particular metabolites. Side Effects Drug class: Antitussives. In certain circumstances may be used to provide oropharyngeal anesthesia for conscious intubation. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Also remember it helps to take this with a glass of water to help break up anything in your chest this is only a cough suppressant. Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.
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