More US children are going to emergency rooms after drinking cough suppressants

World population reaches 8 billion, says UN
November 15, 2022
How you can stand up for yourself in managing diabetes
November 15, 2022

[ad_1]

By Steven Reinberg

Health Day Reporter

TUESDAY, Nov. 15, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A growing number of young children are showing up to emergency rooms after accidentally ingesting the cough medicine benzonate, U.S. health officials reported Tuesday.

Benzonate is a non-narcotic cough suppressant first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1958 for children ages 10 and older. It works by reducing the cough reflex in the lungs and airways.

“Benzonate is an attractive cough and cold medication because of its non-narcotic properties,” said Dr. Elise Perlman, emergency room physician at Cohen Children’s Medical Center in Queens, NY

“Because of this, there was a notable increase in benzonate prescriptions; however, there was also a concomitant increase in toxicity and reported side effects,” said Perlman, who was not involved in the study.

The number of children under the age of 5 and 10 to 15 year olds treated in emergency rooms between 2010 and 2018 actually increased significantly, according to researchers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The spike in benzoate poisonings between 2010 and 2018 may actually be an unintended consequence of public efforts to reduce inappropriate narcotics prescribing, said FDA spokeswoman Chanapa Tantibanchachai. At the same time, prescriptions for cough medicines containing codeine and hydrocodone fell.

For the study, researchers led by Dr. Ivone Kim of the FDA’s Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology provides data on nearly 4,700 cases of benzoate poisoning reported to US poison control centers from 2010 to 2018.

Of these reported cases, 77% were accidental exposures and most involved children under 5 years of age (83%). Most cases of benzonate that involved misuse or abuse were in children ages 10 to 16 (61%), the researchers found.

The number of children prescribed benzonate cough suppressants has increased by 62%, from about 217,000 in 2012 to 351,000 in 2019. As the number of prescriptions rose, so did the number of those who died after an overdose of the drug Emergency room went to study.

Among those under 17 who accidentally overdosed, 79% had no side effects, 2% had moderate side effects, less than 1% had significant side effects, and a small fraction of 1% died.

Deaths involved children aged 9 months to 4 years. Clinical effects included cardiac arrest, respiratory failure, seizures, coughing or retching, non-reactive dilated pupils, acidosis, high blood sugar, electrolyte abnormalities, excessive secretions, slow heartbeat and no heartbeat, the researchers noted.

Of 133 older children who intentionally overdosed on benzonate, 66% had no side effects and 13% had moderate side effects. The researchers found that there were no major side effects or deaths in this age group.

Tantibanchachai said the researchers advise keeping cough medicines containing this drug out of the reach of children.

Numerous studies and case reports have been published describing severe toxicities from both accidental and intentional ingestion of benzoate, including agitation, dangerously abnormal heart rhythms, seizures, cardiac arrest and death, she said.

“When someone is suffering from a nagging and unrelenting cough, it’s natural to seek treatment for a ‘quick fix’ to speed recovery. Benzonate is one of them,” Perlman said. “This is important because the mere presence of these and other drugs in the home carries an inherent risk of accidental and intentional ingestion in young children and adolescents, leading to toxic side effects, some of which can be fatal even in small amounts.”

Young children are more likely to try drugs for accessibility, appearance, taste and smell, while teens are more likely to abuse or abuse drugs at home with “suicidal intent,” Perlman said.

“It’s paramount to be aware that what we bring into our homes poses a threat and can compromise the safety of our children,” advised Perlman. “As parents, this initiative begins with limiting the use of over-the-counter and prescribed medications, such as benzonate and other cough and cold medicines, and keeping medications out of reach and safe to prevent exploration, abuse, and abuse.”

When it comes to cough and cold symptoms, the focus should be on supportive care, including pain control and oral hydration, without the instinct for a “quick fix” with cough and cold medications like benzonate, she said.

The report was published online in the journal on November 15 paediatrics.

More information

For more information on benzonate see the US National Library of Medicine.

SOURCES: Chanapa Tantibanchachai, MS, spokeswoman for the US Food and Drug Administration; Elise Perlman, MD, ER physician, Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Queens, NY; paediatricsNovember 15, 2022, online

[ad_2]

Source link

Leave a Reply

More US children are going to emergency rooms after drinking cough suppressants
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. By using this website you agree to our Data Protection Policy.
Read more