Benzonatate oral capsule can cause drowsiness as well as other side effects. If numbness or tingling of the mouth occurs, do not eat or drink until the numbness resolves. The biggest increase was 24% from 2015 to 2016. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication. A recent issue of The Medical Letter briefly highlighted an FDA warning about benzonatate. Food and Drug Administration. 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). 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. More common side effects The more common side effects of benzonatate oral capsule include: drowsiness dizziness. Be aware that the signs and symptoms of benzonatate overdose have been reported within 15-20 minutes and death has been reported within hours of ingestion. Generic name: benzonatate [ben-ZOE-na-tate] Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. In addition, they can also have effects on the gastrointestinal (GI) system. Signs and symptoms of overdose can occur rapidly after ingestion (within 15-20 minutes). Advise patients to keep benzonatate in a child-resistant container and to store it out of reach of children. Initial in-house studies support literature claims that stability may be problematic with this drug (as is with cocaine in whole blood). 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. If you miss a dose of benzonatate, skip that dose and take the next dose at the next scheduled time. Drug class: Antitussives. Warnings Other drugs may interact with benzonatate, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. This may make it easier for you to breathe and help decrease your cough. Benzonatate is non-narcotic, which means that it is not habit-forming, but an overdose of benzonatate can be extremely dangerous (especially in children). Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. no blood pressure or pulse restlessness shakiness in the legs, arms, hands, or feet stopping of the heart trembling or shaking of the hands or feet unconsciousness Other side effects of Benzonatate Some side effects of benzonatate may occur that usually do not need medical attention. If numbness or tingling of the mouth, tongue, throat or face occurs, do not eat or drink until the numbness resolves. Advise patients to swallow benzonatate capsules whole and to not break, chew, dissolve, or crush the capsules. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. I don't feel sick either. Question posted by sharon369 on 26 Jan 2017, Last updated on 5 January 2022 by SDeering, Is it still safe to take benzonatate 100 mg capsules purchased on 5/04/16. How should this medicine be used? Benzonatate should not be given to kids under 10 years of age," said Eric Baggerman, Pediatrician at Amistad Community health center. Still looking for answers? It comes with risks if you dont take it as prescribed. Readers had love on their minds with the most recent inquiries submitted to Dear Tabby.. (, Bishop-Freeman, S.C., Feaster, M.S., Miller, A., Beal, J.L., Hargrove, R., Brower, J.O. Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School of Continuous Professional Development, Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Benzonatate is a prescription drug approved for relief of cough in patients over 10 years of age. Honey can help thin mucus and decrease your cough. 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. Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. People in these age groups should not take more than 200 mg at one time. Drug Overdose deaths in the United States hit record numbers in 2014. Do not give to children aged less than 10. Use a cool mist humidifier or a vaporizer to increase air moisture in your home. Benzonatate relieves cough by acting directly on the lungs and the breathing passages. Benzonatate works by numbing the throat and lungs, making the cough reflex less active. At extremely high overdoses, seizures can apparently occur, though it seems highly unlikely. Benzonatate belongs to a class of drugs called antitussive agents. Benzonatate pregnancy and breastfeeding warnings. Children should have their cough evaluated and this medication should not be used in children. You and your doctor should monitor certain health issues. Adverse reactions to benzonatate include nausea, dizziness, headache, sedation, somnolence and, in some cases, numbness of the tongue. Pfizer, Inc., Madison, NJ; Crouch, B.I., Knick, K.A., Crouch, D.J., Matsumura, K.S., Rollins, D.E. Benzonatate may cause various side . Benzonatate is not approved for use by anyone younger than 10 years old. Call your doctor right away if you become pregnant while taking this drug. Not a narcotic. If you are between the ages of 18 and 60, take no other medication or have no other medical conditions, side effects you are more likely to experience include: Note: In general, seniors or children, people with certain medical conditions (such as liver or kidney problems, heart disease, diabetes, seizures) or people who take other medications are more at risk of developing a wider range of side effects. Im a doctor, but Im not your doctor despite the fact that you read or comment on my posts. Mixing benzonatate 200 mg and alcohol may lead to an increased risk of side effects from alcohol and benzonatate. generic drugs) are not considered. Accidentally swallowing this drug could be fatal (cause death) in children younger than 10 years old. Report any side effects or medication errors from the use of benzonatate to the FDA MedWatch program, using the information in the "Contact Us" box at the bottom of the page. Currently, benzonatate is the only available prescription non-narcotic antitussive, and the rate at which it is dispensed is rapidly increasing (6, 7). 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). The old adage, when in doubt, throw it out, really applies here! Its also available as a generic drug. The study uses data from the FDA. Can children take benzonatate (Tessalon)? Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. Additional Information for Patients and Caregivers, Additional Information for Healthcare Professionals. If supportive care is administered rapidly, intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) may be successful in resolving some benzonatate toxicity cases (13, 20, 23, 25). 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. Last updated on Oct 31, 2022. Overdose of benzonatate has been reported in adults and adolescents. How dangerous would it be for either a 5 lb. the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Sedation, headache, constipation, nausea, itchiness, skin rash, nasal congestion, a burning sensation in the eyes. It works by reducing the cough reflex in the lungs and air passages. RSV is an infection in your airways. If you do not understand your doctor's orders, ask your doctor or . Dr. Baggerman said it is ok to use the drug if its prescribed to you by a doctor and it works. How Does Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Spread? Good luck. Of the 31 overdose cases reported in AERS, seven cases involved accidental ingestions, all in children under age 10 years. Answered by Dr. JD in 9 mins 13 years ago Dr. JD 15+ years of experience 820 satisfied customers More common side effects The more common side effects of benzonatate oral capsule include: drowsiness dizziness. Copyright 2023 IBM Watson Health. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughing. RSV is a contagious virus. Benzonatate, sold by the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to treat coughs caused by colds or the flu. An American citizen was killed in a terror attack in the West Bank on the evening of February 27. +0. Benzonatate relieves cough by acting directly on the lungs and the breathing passages. This may cause you to feel dizzy or faint. Generic drugs usually cost less. If the symptoms worsen or persist, seek medical attention. The effects last for 3 to 8 hours. 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. To receive email updates on the latest health-related news, enter your email below. To help prevent interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. 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. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. 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. This can help make sure you stay safe while you take this drug. Eat 2 to 5 mL of honey 2 times each day. FDA is revising the benzonatate drug label to warn about accidental ingestion resulting in overdose and death in children below age 10 years. Benzonatate relieves a dry cough; however, the capsules must be swallowed whole because the risk of a fatal overdosage is increased if the capsules are opened in any way. Take the medication out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. Always carry your medication with you. Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. Research in animals has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug. Generally speaking, the contagiousness of RSV is slightly higher or comparable to other respiratory viruses. Fast-acting. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughing. Serious adverse outcomes reported to the National Poison Center between 2000 and 2006 occurred in 116 patients (41 in children <6 years old), with 4 deaths. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Once the numbness goes away, you can eat and drink. Coughing can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and patients can be desperate for relief. To relieve coughs due to colds or is benzonatate dangerous flu of Biomedical Sciences, Mayo Clinic School Continuous. Accidentally swallowing this drug could be fatal ( cause death ) in under... Skin rash, nasal congestion, a burning sensation in the eyes benzonatate oral can... 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