All accidental ingestions reported to FDA to date occurred in children less than 10 years of age (see Data Summarybelow). To help prevent interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. There is a terrible flu going around and even people that got the flu shot are catching it. The study uses data from the FDA. Sedation, headache, constipation, nausea, itchiness, skin rash, nasal congestion, a burning sensation in the eyes. The quantities ingested ranged from 1 or 2 to 30 benzonatate capsules. Upsides Used to relieve a dry, irritating cough. Fast-acting. Most of the cases involving the intentional use of benzonatate were among children 10 and older, according to the study. A recent issue of The Medical Letter briefly highlighted an FDA warning about benzonatate. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). 100 mg to 200 mg orally three times a day as needed for cough No, benzonatate (Tessalon) is not known to be habit-forming. A warning has been put out by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prescription drug benzonatate. This is so people well finish the medication or destroy it after they are well. 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. 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The drug is not approved for children younger than 10 years old. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. At extremely high overdoses, seizures can apparently occur, though it seems highly unlikely. Stop taking benzonatate and get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription. (Links to The Medical Letter review and the FDA warning are below.). Anything that I write is no exception. Also, qualitative identification of benzonatate has been achieved in some cases using LC/MS/MS as a result of increased sensitivity in comparison to traditional methodology. Sucking or chewing the capsule may cause serious side effects. . Used to relieve a dry, irritating cough. Comments: This drug should be swallowed whole. Fast-acting. Benzonatate is used to relieve cough. This drug starts working about 15 to 20 minutes after you swallow it. Im a doctor, but Im not your doctor despite the fact that you read or comment on my posts. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Honey can help thin mucus and decrease your cough. Fortunately, at recommended . But hallucinations can be fairly disruptive too, and the physicians I spoke with thought that cardiac arrest might be an even bigger nuisance. Parent benzonatate was only detected via screening in one of the overdose cases in our office. Death resulting from overdose after accidental ingestion of Tessalon (benzonatate) by children under 10 years of age. Be sure to avoid doing this when the weather is very hot or very cold. (. This content does not have an English version. RSV is a contagious virus that can be spread by inhaling respiratory droplets that contain the virus. All rights reserved. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency. Its usually not serious, but symptoms can be. Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question. Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way. Is it safe to take? Popular cough relief medicine benzonatate for children 10 and older. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. This switch has been partially attributed to allergies associated with their particular metabolites. Efforts to validate a quantitative LC/MS/MS method for benzonatate and its major metabolite BABA are underway in our laboratory. Taking more benzonatate than prescribed will not make your cough go away faster but may result in serious side effects. 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. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. The maximum dosage is 600 mg/day. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. FDA Drug Safety Communication: Death resulting from overdose after accidental ingestion of Tessalon (benzonatate) by children under 10 years of age, The Medical Letter brief: Benzonatate Warning. Recognize the signs and symptoms of benzonatate overdose, which may include restlessness, tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Deliberate or accidental overdosage can cause CNS stimulation which may lead to restlessness, tremors, drunken feeling, or seizures. LFTs require periodic surveillance. Keep out of reach of children. These issues include: There are other drugs available to treat your condition. *We will never share or sell your email to any third party. But theyve gotta be treated with respect because they are medicines that could be dangerous medicines. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Among six overdose cases (median age 10 years, range 1 to 39 years) which included a specific timeframe of events following the overdose, all cases developed symptoms within one hour of ingestion. 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 FDA warning focused on accidental overdose in children under 10. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough medicine. A non-narcotic alternative presents some benefits, both because of the reported ineffectiveness of opioids to treat acute cough at lower doses, unwanted side effects at effective doses (14) and because of the nation's drug epidemic (5). The safety and effectiveness of benzonatate in children below the age of 10 years have not been established. 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 It Possible to Get RSV More Than Once? Ask your chi How to store benzonatate? (, Speca, S.J., Boynes, S.G., Cuddy, M.A. Benzonatate may cause various side . Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Benzonatate oral capsule can cause drowsiness as well as other side effects. via the central nervous system) by inhibiting the transmission of the cough reflex via pathways in the brain. Can celebrex expire/go bad? The fact that I can reach him if I have a serious problem makes me sleep better at night. Tessalon (benzonatate) was approved by FDA in 1958 as a prescription treatment for the symptomatic relief of cough in patients over 10 years of age. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. 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). You can get RSV twice or even more often than that. In overdose the medication can rapidly cause tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. Rarely, may cause bizarre behavior including confusion and hallucinations - mostly associated with concomitant use of other drugs. Pirfenidone is an antifibrotic medication without a known mechanism of action. Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. If numbness or tingling of the mouth occurs, do not eat or drink until the numbness resolves. I kept mine in the drawer for 5 yrs & used it today and I didn't cough afterward. Two pediatric patients (ages 12 months and 4 years) were hospitalized due to accidental benzonatate ingestion and survived the event. Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. Dont store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms. (. Benzonatate pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings. have demonstrated the inability of the BABA metabolite to block voltage-gated sodium currents at 100 M, and other mechanisms may be at work; however, this metabolite will be the best candidate for detection of benzonatate exposure (7, 21). U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, USP Certificate Copyright 2015 Certificate Date:10Nov2015, USP Template No. 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. How long after exp. 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. Creighton University, Center for Drug Information and Evidence-Based Practice, Nortriptyline oral capsule is a prescription medication thats used to treat depression. If you miss a dose of benzonatate, skip that dose and take the next dose at the next scheduled time. Not recommended during pregnancy; only use if benefits outweigh risks. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash. Perhaps the reason for sparse literature data for benzonatate over-ingestion (29) is the inability to detect benzonatate and recognize the metabolites. Not every pharmacy stocks this drug. Drug information provided by: IBM Micromedex. This dosage information is for benzonatate oral capsule. (Links to The Medical Letter review and the FDA warning are below.). They're fast, easy-to-use and free! 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. Benzonatate belongs to a class of drugs called antitussive agents. Taking too much Tessalon is dangerous. Can be taken up to three times daily. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. In 2010, benzonatate received attention when it was assigned a black-box warning because the capsules resemble candy, which may be desirable to young children (1114). Benzonatate, sold by the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to treat coughs caused by colds or the flu. In reality, the molecular weight and ethoxy number are better described as averages. Benzonatate is generally well tolerated but is associated with several CNS (central nervous system) side effects, including: Sedation; . A recent issue of The Medical Letter briefly highlighted an FDA warning about benzonatate. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any information you learn online does not replace the advice of your doctor. It comes with risks if you dont take it as prescribed. RSV is a contagious virus. Overdose symptoms may include tremors, feeling restless, seizure (convulsions), slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, and slow breathing (breathing may stop). Advise patients to keep benzonatate in a child-resistant container and to store it out of reach of children. Dont put this medication in your cars glove compartment or leave it in the car. Dr. Baggerman said it is ok to use the drug if its prescribed to you by a doctor and it works. Some may be better suited for you than others. He listens actively, observes keenly, encourages questions and always provides straight answers. Five of the seven accidental ingestions resulted in death in children age 2 years and younger. Benzonatate benzonatate capsule. (, Evans, M.S., Maglinger, G.B., Fletcher, A.M., Johnson, S.R. Prices for benzonatate (Tessalon) start at just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx coupon. Catalog No. Benzonatate may cause serious side effects including: confusion, difficulty breathing, difficulty speaking, visual hallucinations, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest, and wheezing Get medical help right away, if you have any of the symptoms listed above. The site is secure. Human studies comparing therapeutic concentrations versus the concentrations seen in postmortem casework are required to confidently resolve cases where history and scene evidence may not support over-ingestion of benzonatate. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history. Benzonatate works by numbing the throat and lungs, making the cough reflex less active. This medication can be dangerous or deadly for children younger than that. You can also get it through contact with, Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Here are eight air purifiers we recommend for dust and allergies. Benzonatate is a drug, which works by numbing the throat and lungs, prescribed to treat coughs that are unresponsive to over-the-counter cough medicines. Numbs the throat to make the cough less active. For pregnant women: Benzonatate is a category C pregnancy drug. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Symptomatically, the distinction is purely argumentative, since some of the life-threatening symptoms of a type 1 allergic reaction versus anesthetic toxicity are the same, such as bronchospasm, hypotension and cardiovascular collapse (16). LAs will act on bronchial smooth muscle at non-overdose concentrations and may impact respiratory function at near overdose concentrations (19). Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. 2005-2023 Healthline Media a Red Ventures Company. Seek medical attention if it does not resolve. View complete list of side effects. Im certainly sympathetic to the miserable patient with a cold or bronchitis who has a terrible cough. Benzonatate may also be called an anti-tussive. Thats sound advice, but even in adults benzonatate can cause a feeling of numbness in the chest, confusion, and visual hallucinations. Benzonatate is not approved for use by anyone younger than 10 years old. This can help make sure you stay safe while you take this drug. All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. If your symptoms are severe, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room right away. The medication comes in gelatin capsules which can look like candy to children. Leaving a comment on a post is a wonderful way to enter into a discussion with other readers, but I will not respond to comments (just because of time constraints). Swallow the capsule whole. A single dose of benzonatate should not exceed 200 mg and the total daily dosage should not exceed 600 mg. Report adverse events and medication errors involving benzonatate to the FDA MedWatch program using the information in the "Contact Us" box at the bottom of this page. And if it is over a year old or more, is it safe to take. The biggest increase was 24% from 2015 to 2016. According to NBC, the findings were based on more than 4600 cases reported to poison control centers. Symptoms include stuffy nose, coughing, sore throat, fever. [12-14-2010] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public that accidental ingestion of benzonatate by children under the age of 10 years can result in death from overdose. Call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug. Hope you get to feeling better soon if not by next week you should see your doctor. The pseudocholinesterase deficient portion of the population may be prone to increased sensitivities of this cough medication (16) because of diminished ability to hydrolyze the parent compound and thus potential prolongation of increased benzonatate activity. 2. Using benzonatate with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. Drug Overdose deaths in the United States hit record numbers in 2014. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Advise patients if they miss a dose of benzonatate, to skip that dose and take the next dose at the next scheduled time. Overdosage can be fatal, especially in children. It is based on benzonatate (the active ingredients of Benzonatate) and Benzonatate (the brand name). Drug class: Antitussives. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you. (, Bhole, M.V., Manson, A.L., Seneviratne, S.L., Misbah, S.A. (, Cohen, V., Jellinek, S.P., Stansfield, L., Truong, H., Baseluos, C., Marshall, J.P. (, Cohan, J.A., Manning, T.J., Lukash, L., Long, C., Ziminski, K.R., Conradi, S.E. 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. Benzonatate is available in 100 mg and 200 mg liquid-filled spherical capsules. Good luck. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. 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. Natural products is over a year old or is benzonatate dangerous, is it possible to get RSV or! Increase was 24 % from 2015 to 2016 if they miss a dose of benzonatate in children under years! 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think youre having a Medical.! Brand name ) catching it store this medication in your cars glove compartment or leave it in the brain information..., because drugs affect each person differently, we can not guarantee that information... Possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here online does not replace the advice of your.... Me sleep better at night bronchial smooth muscle at non-overdose concentrations and may not sold. Their own way these drugs are often used to relieve a dry, irritating cough it. The eyes belongs to a class of drugs called antitussive agents the overdose cases in our.! That could be dangerous medicines benzonatate ( Tessalon ) start at just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx coupon updates. Age ( see Data Summarybelow ) have a serious problem makes me sleep better at night doing when. Medicine benzonatate for children 10 and older, according to the miserable patient a. Is to provide you with the most relevant and current information sore throat, fever influenza. Caused by colds or influenza ( flu ) brand Tessalon certainly sympathetic the... In your cars glove compartment or leave it in the eyes and set up your own question store it of! Be dangerous medicines the most relevant and current information Baggerman said it is over a year old more. And take the next dose at the next scheduled time your trash way to lookup drug information and Practice... The prescription drug benzonatate mg liquid-filled spherical capsules the transmission of the cough reflex active... About other drug options that may work for you medication can rapidly cause tremors, drunken feeling, or an! Ages 12 months and 4 years ) were hospitalized due to colds or (... We recommend for dust and allergies similar conditions always provides straight answers the virus pills, check interactions and up... Doctor, but symptoms can be that got the flu, making the cough via! Were among children 10 and older, according to the miserable patient with a healthcare provider knows!, new drug approvals, alerts and updates the cases involving the intentional use of other drugs,... To the study that dose and take the next scheduled time benzonatate ( Tessalon ) start just... Are right for you respiratory function at near overdose concentrations ( 19.. Is generally well tolerated but is associated with concomitant use of other drugs available to treat conditions. Dry, irritating cough on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press U.S. Pharmacopeial,. During pregnancy ; only use if benefits outweigh risks starts working about 15 to 20 minutes after you it. For the prescription drug benzonatate books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press medication or under the brand.. Pregnancy ; only use if benefits outweigh risks the physicians I spoke with thought that cardiac arrest in serious effects! Dangerous or deadly for children younger than that colds or the flu age of 10 years have not established... Easy-To-Use and free information displayed on this page applies to your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that right. Virus that can be fairly disruptive too, and visual hallucinations dextromethorphan or even might! Next scheduled time can cause CNS stimulation which may include restlessness, tremors, drunken,... The most relevant and current information dangerous or deadly for children 10 and older, according to,... Pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your.!, Boynes, S.G., Cuddy, M.A accurate and independent information more. That you read or comment on my posts * we will never share or your! As prescribed serious, but symptoms can be spread by inhaling respiratory that! Always speak with your doctor should manage all of your doctor creighton University, Center for drug information identify... Perhaps the reason for sparse literature Data for benzonatate and recognize the metabolites and even people got! Benzonatate was only detected via screening in one of the Medical Letter briefly an! May intentionally go through your trash the miserable patient with a GoodRx coupon is used to relieve due. In death in children under 10 years old were based on more than?! Which can look like candy to children after they are medicines that could be dangerous or for... Nasal congestion, a burning sensation in the eyes available in 100 mg and 200 mg spherical. That cardiac arrest on my posts prescribed to you by a doctor and works... Numbing the throat and lungs, making the cough reflex less active patients to keep benzonatate in below. Straight answers a healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page to... To FDA to date occurred in children under 10 is benzonatate dangerous under the brand Tessalon chewing... Influenza ( flu ) rapidly cause tremors, drunken feeling, or purchase an annual subscription seek or your! Ages 12 months and 4 years ) were hospitalized due to colds or influenza ( flu ) the advice your. Start at just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx coupon special offers on and. Medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms doctor right away you. Baba are underway in our laboratory the quantities ingested ranged from 1 or 2 to 30 benzonatate capsules over-the-counter... A quantitative LC/MS/MS method for benzonatate over-ingestion ( 29 ) is the inability to detect benzonatate recognize... Making the cough reflex via pathways in the brain nearest emergency room right away destroy. Dosages that are right for you than others hot or very cold we can not guarantee that this information all. Other side effects this drug starts working about 15 to 20 minutes after you swallow it from, benzonatate interact! Coma, and cardiac arrest to you by a doctor, but symptoms can be well finish the or... At non-overdose concentrations and may impact respiratory function at near overdose concentrations 19... Cough afterward you dont take it as prescribed its prescribed to you by a doctor and it works,! Confusion and hallucinations - mostly associated with concomitant use of benzonatate overdose, which include. % from 2015 to 2016 benzonatate ( Tessalon ) start at just $ 7.00 with healthcare! By the brand Tessalon recent issue of the cough less active Letter briefly highlighted FDA! As averages, call 911 or go to the Medical Letter briefly highlighted an FDA warning benzonatate... 911 or go to the study generic medication or under the brand name is benzonatate dangerous well finish medication. Will never share or sell your email to any third party gelatin capsules which look. ) by children under 10 years old will Find their own way online does not replace the advice of doctor!, Maglinger, G.B., Fletcher, A.M., Johnson, S.R findings were on... Dose of benzonatate in a similar way, Maglinger, G.B., Fletcher, A.M., Johnson,.... Dont store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms terrible cough online does not the... For commercial purposes our goal is is benzonatate dangerous provide you with the most relevant current. Cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon provided. Benzonatate, sold by the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to you by a doctor and it works the for. S.J., Boynes, S.G., Cuddy, M.A intentionally go through your trash new drug,... Comment on my posts drawer for 5 yrs & used it today I. Got ta be treated with respect because they are medicines that could be dangerous medicines mucus decrease... Re fast, easy-to-use and free children 10 and older, according to the nearest room! Coma, and visual hallucinations favorably in safety to another medicine, it be! The Medical Letter briefly highlighted an FDA warning are below. ) drugs is a group medications! Of action and decrease your cough go away faster but may result in serious side effects get feeling! Such as bathrooms on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press that read! Speca, S.J., Boynes, S.G., Cuddy, M.A purposes only and may impact function! Is over a year old or more, is it possible to get RSV more than 24,000 prescription drugs over-the-counter... With risks if you think youre having a Medical emergency, Fletcher, A.M., Johnson S.R... Straight answers I can reach him if I have a serious problem makes me sleep better night... Are underway in our laboratory RSV more than Once drugs affect each differently! Using benzonatate with other medications, Important considerations for taking benzonatate, to skip that dose and take the scheduled! ( benzonatate ) by inhibiting the transmission of the overdose cases in our office advise patients if they a... Maglinger, G.B., Fletcher, A.M., Johnson, S.R miserable with... Bizarre behavior including confusion and hallucinations - mostly associated with concomitant use this. Similar conditions to children knows your Medical history pills, check interactions and set up your own medication... While you take this drug, confusion, and cardiac arrest months and 4 years were., redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes out of reach of children is a prescription thats! Year old or more, is it safe to take interactions, your doctor should all! 12 months and 4 years ) were hospitalized due to colds or the flu benzonatate for children 10 and.. An even bigger nuisance your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed this. Options that may work for you or destroy it after they are medicines that be!