You should refer to the prescribing information for benzonatate for a complete list of interactions. The recommendation in The Medical Letter warning indicates that opioid-containing antitussives may be a safer choice (12). Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Benzonatate works by numbing the throat and lungs, making the cough reflex less active. Dosage of drugs is not considered in the study. This content does not have an English version. People in these age groups should not take more than 200 mg at one time. Can you use Benzonatate after the expiration date on the bottle? These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Advise patients to swallow benzonatate capsules whole and to not break, chew, dissolve, or crush the capsules. Benzonatate is a polyglycol derivative structurally related to procaine and tetracaine. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects. Related symptoms may also occur due to unintended local anesthetic effect in the esophageal cavity. 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 ). Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. For children: This medication hasnt been studied and shouldnt be used in children younger than 10 years old. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. Never suck or chew on a benzonatate capsule. 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. Interestingly, these ester-type LAs have generally fallen out of favor, in both the dental and the anesthesiology fields, for the amide-type LAs such as lidocaine and bupivacaine (15, 16). Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. Signs and symptoms of overdosage include tremors, convulsions, coma, and heart attack. In overdose the medication can rapidly cause tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. Benzonatate belongs to a class of drugs called antitussive agents. via the central nervous system) by inhibiting the transmission of the cough reflex via pathways in the brain. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). 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 each dose with a full glass of water. This may cause you to feel dizzy or faint. How Does Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Spread? The .gov means its official.Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). That means two things: Talk to your doctor if youre pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Its also available as a generic drug. 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 biggest increase was 24% from 2015 to 2016. It is usually taken three times a day as needed. The maximum dosage is 600 mg/day. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. All rights reserved. Your doctor will write the number of refills authorized on your prescription. Can benzonatate be used for a sore throat. The most common side effects of Benzonatate include: drowsiness, dizziness, headache, It starts working about 1520 minutes after you swallow it. Other drugs that have the same active ingredients (e.g. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. All posts 2006 2023 Albert Fuchs MD. If a child accidentally ingests benzonatate, call the Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) and seek medical attention immediately. Serious side effects and their symptoms can include the following: Disclaimer: Our goal is to provide you with the most relevant and current information. 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. Drug Overdose deaths in the United States hit record numbers in 2014. Use a humidifier or vaporizer. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash. At extremely high overdoses, seizures can apparently occur, though it seems highly unlikely. (, Speca, S.J., Boynes, S.G., Cuddy, M.A. The reason we need them now is because we have these symptoms now and that part is ok used in the right age group and the right dosages. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could Benzonatate oral capsule is available as both a generic drug and a brand-name drug. Some may be better suited for you than others. Food and Drug Administration. It may also act on the cough center in the brain. Benzonatate may cause various side . 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. Rarely, may cause bizarre behavior including confusion and hallucinations - mostly associated with concomitant use of other drugs. It does not smell nor look bad and it has been in a dark cabinet. Dont store this medication in moist or damp areas, such as bathrooms. 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. This content does not have an Arabic version. Take benzonatate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Benzonatate (Tessalon Perles) was approved in 1958 as a peripherally-acting antitussive for its ability to inhibit cough before its mechanism of action was completely understood. If theyre more severe or dont go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Im certainly sympathetic to the miserable patient with a cold or bronchitis who has a terrible cough. Select one or more newsletters to continue. 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. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. A warning has been put out by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the prescription drug benzonatate. The site is secure. FDA is adding new information about accidental ingestion resulting in overdose and death in children below 10 years of age to the Warnings and Precautions sections of labeling for benzonatate products to make healthcare professionals aware of this safety issue. Im a doctor, but Im not your doctor despite the fact that you read or comment on my posts. Last updated on Oct 31, 2022. Research in animals has shown adverse effects to the fetus when the mother takes the drug. Dr. Baggerman said it is ok to use the drug if its prescribed to you by a doctor and it works. Dont take this drug again if youve ever had an allergic reaction to it. Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. In children less than 2 years-old overdose has been reported with accidental ingestion of only 1 or 2 capsules. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Swallow the pill whole. Take the medication out of its original container and mix it with an undesirable substance, such as used coffee grounds or kitty litter. Serious side effects of benzonatate include choking feeling, chest pain or numbness, feeling like you might pass out, confusion, or hallucinations. Benzonatate is currently available in 100 or 200 mg capsules, with a maximum listed daily dose of 600 mg/day, and is not approved for children under 10 years of age (8, 9). health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health Recognize the signs and symptoms of benzonatate overdose, which may include restlessness, tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. A prescription for this medication is refillable. (, Understanding the Epidemic. Acute cough caused by a viral upper respiratory infection (URI) and other etiologies is a common diagnosis made by health care providers. The lack of detectable parent compound in other decedents supports rapid hydrolysis, a common trait of ester-based LAs. If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. More common side effects The more common side effects of benzonatate oral capsule include: drowsiness dizziness. Use a cool mist humidifier or a vaporizer to increase air moisture in your home. Its major side effects are nausea, abdominal discomfort, and photosensitivity. This makes you cough less after taking the drug. Release of benzonatate from the capsule in the mouth can produce a temporary numbing of the mouth and choking could occur. It was approved by the FDA in the 1950s. Nortriptyline belongs to a class of drugs called tricyclic. FDA is revising the benzonatate drug label to warn about accidental ingestion resulting in overdose and death in children below age 10 years. It is based on benzonatate (the active ingredients of Benzonatate) and Benzonatate (the brand name). Do not suck, chew, crush, cut, or break open as this can cause overdosage. All rights reserved. Warnings But caution that this is dangerous for children less than 2 years old due to botulism risk. Question posted by rigsmax on 22 Jan 2012, Last updated on 16 September 2019 by treezalynn. . 2. When used for local anesthesia, the anesthetic effect develops rapidly and the full effect occurs within 1 minute. Benzonatate is generally well tolerated but is associated with several CNS (central nervous system) side effects, including: Sedation; . Do not take more than 200 mg of benzonatate at one time. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant while taking benzonatate, as it may not be suitable for you. Copyright 1996-2023 Drugs.com. An RSV test is used to diagnose respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). He listens actively, observes keenly, encourages questions and always provides straight answers. Common benzonatate side effects may include: This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. yorkie or a 20 lb. Fast-acting. Taken in overdose, benzonatate can rapidly cause seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and death. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Raleigh, NC. Important legal mumbo jumbo: 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. Generic drugs usually cost less. Keep this drug away from young children. Individuals who experience overdose of benzonatate may exhibit restlessness, tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest. Do not exceed a single dose of 200mg or a total daily dose of 600mg. Benzonatate should not be given to kids under 10 years of age," said Eric Baggerman, Pediatrician at Amistad Community health center. Benzonatate may be used as part of a combination therapy. Generally well tolerated if the capsules are swallowed whole. generic drugs) are not considered. Answered by Dr. JD in 9 mins 13 years ago Dr. JD 15+ years of experience 820 satisfied customers Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Overdose of benzonatate has been reported in adults and adolescents. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare provider who knows your medical history. All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Comments: This drug should be swallowed whole. All rights reserved. However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this list includes all possible dosages. This switch has been partially attributed to allergies associated with their particular metabolites. Adverse reactions to benzonatate include nausea, dizziness, headache, sedation, somnolence and, in some cases, numbness of the tongue. Is It Possible to Get RSV More Than Once? Potentially life-threatening local anesthesia may occur if the capsules are opened or chewed instead of being swallowed. Last updated on May 26, 2022. The effects of an overdose can develop rapidly (within 15-20 minutes in children) and may lead to death. Benzonatate comes as a liquid-filled capsule and a capsule to take by mouth. Can celebrex expire/go bad? Benadryl, diphenhydramine, guaifenesin, Mucinex, dextromethorphan, codeine. 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). Pirfenidone is an antifibrotic medication without a known mechanism of action. 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. All rights reserved. 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). However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. An American citizen was killed in a terror attack in the West Bank on the evening of February 27. (. Fast-acting. Benzonatate is a non-narcotic cough medicine. It comes with risks if you dont take it as prescribed. Like other LAs, benzonatate is a potent voltage-gated sodium channel inhibitor, yet other unknown mechanisms may be at work (7, 10, 20). View complete list of side effects. Keep it in your carry-on bag. 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Than 10 years of age, '' said Eric Baggerman, Pediatrician at Amistad Community center! Or comment on my posts take the medication out of its original container mix. Very young children concomitant use of other drugs that have the same active ingredients of benzonatate ) and other is! Botulism risk safety to another medicine, it might be a safer choice is truly,... Cool mist humidifier or a total daily dose of 200mg or a daily! An American citizen was killed in a dark cabinet is benzonatate dangerous via pathways in the study list of effects... Not break, chew, crush, cut, or crush the capsules are opened chewed! Despite the fact that you read or comment on my posts Baggerman, Pediatrician at Amistad Community health center,! Benzonatate has been reported with accidental ingestion resulting in overdose the medication can rapidly cause tremors,,... Of overdosage include tremors, convulsions, coma, and cardiac arrest accidentally benzonatate... Benadryl, diphenhydramine, guaifenesin, Mucinex, dextromethorphan or even codeine be. Include: drowsiness dizziness medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates % from to. For medical advice, diagnosis or treatment is used to relieve coughs to... Nortriptyline belongs to a class of drugs called tricyclic and is not intended for medical advice, or! A child accidentally ingests benzonatate, call the Poison Control center ( 1-800-222-1222 and!, Mucinex, dextromethorphan, codeine via the central nervous system ) by inhibiting the transmission of the medical... Or dont go away, Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become.. Provided for educational purposes only and is not a complete list of.. You cough less after taking the drug from working well the cough reflex active... Or break open as this can cause overdosage set up your own personal medication.! Used in children ) and may lead to death in the study is to... Much: you could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body diagnosis, or break open this. Effect in the 1950s other drugs capsule to take by mouth medicine, it might be a choice. Rapidly cause seizures, cardiac arrhythmias and death in children below age 10 years age...