After Taking Too Much Blood Pressure Medicine: How to Care for Your Child

Taking too much blood pressure medicine (or taking it when it isn't needed) can cause serious health problems. The health care team may have done tests to check your child's heart, and may have used special machines to help with breathing, heartbeat, and blood flow. They might have given your child a medicine to help remove the blood pressure medicine from the body. Your child got fluids and medicines to bring the blood pressure back to normal or treat other problems. Your child is now well enough to go home. This is a good time to review medicine and supplement safety in your home.

• Let your child rest as needed. It may take some time to get back to normal activities.

• Give your child a regular healthy diet. Only make changes if recommended by the doctor.

• To help prevent medicine overdose:

  • Keep all medicines in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children.

  • Put medicines away after giving a dose or taking one yourself.

  • Keep purses and handbags that might contain medicines away from kids.

  • Young children like to copy adults, so try not to take medicine in front of kids.

  • Make sure the lids to all medicines are tightly closed.

  • Never tell your kids that medicine "tastes like candy."

  • Always keep medicines in their original containers.

  • Know which medicines you have in your home.

  • Try to be aware of how much medicine is in medicine containers.

  • Get rid of used medicated skin patches and other old or expired medicines safely so that children can't access them. Follow the directions on the package for how to throw the medicine away, or ask your pharmacist.

• You have any questions about blood pressure medicine and its effects.

Your child:

• seems very weak, or is sleepy and can't seem to wake up

• might have taken medicine again when they shouldn't have

Call 911 if you think your child is having seizures (body movements that look uncontrolled).

What problems can too much blood pressure medicine cause? Different types of blood pressure medicines affect different body parts (such as the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, and nervous system). So taking too much can cause various problems, such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, confusion, or seizures. A very large amount can cause breathing and heart problems, and even coma.

What should I do if my child accidentally gets too much medicine again? Call the poison control center right away for advice (1-800-222-1222). Keep the number posted in your home (for example, on the refrigerator) and add it to your cellphone contacts.