All medications should also be stored safely out of reach of children,” Ms Adamo said. “We urge people to read dosage instructions before taking medication and to keep medication stored in the original packaging to avoid confusion.
Genevieve Adamo, Senior Specialist in Poisons Information at NSWPIC, said the risks and harms of an overdose increases when combined with alcohol, illicit drugs and other sedatives. Opioids and benzodiazepines remain the most common drug groups implicated in deaths from overdose. These therapeutic errors pose a serious overdose risk, particularly to the elderly and young children as some medication errors can result in impaired breathing, drowsiness, coma, and in severe cases, death. Medications commonly involved in overdose include opioids (such as codeine, oxycodone), benzodiazepines (such as diazepam, alprazolam), anti-psychotics, sedating anti-histamines, gabapentinoids (traditionally used to treat epilepsy but have increasingly been prescribed for pain), and anticonvulsants. One of the most common causes of accidental overdoses is therapeutic error, often occurring due to wrong dosage, double dosing, or taking the wrong medication. Knowing the signs of an overdose and how to act, can save a life. This is made much more complex as many recreational drugs have unknown ingredients and the effects are unpredictable. When stimulant drugs are taken in overdose, is very different when compared to an overdose of sedative or depressant drugs. Overdoses can look different depending on what drugs or medications have been taken. On International Overdose Awareness Day, the NSW Poisons Information Centre are encouraging the community to learn the signs and symptoms of overdose.
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