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A drug overdose occurs when a chemical substance (i.e. drug) is ingested in quantities and/or concentrations large enough to overwhelm the homeostasis of a living organism, causing severe illness or death. Essentially is it a type of poisoning.Drug overdoses are often used to commit suicide. Many drug overdoses are unintentional and are usually the result of either irresponsible behavior (such as overindulging at a college keg party), or the misreading of product labels (such as taking taking 4 pills every 1 hour instead of 1 pill every 4 hours).
A common unintentional overdose in young children involves multi-vitamins containing iron. Iron is component of the hemoglobin molecule in bloodBlood is a circulating tissue composed of fluid plasma and cells ( red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets). Medical terms related to blood often begin in hemo or hemato ( BE: haemo and haemato from the Greek word for "blood". Blood of different spe, used to transport oxygenOxygen is the chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol O and atomic number 8. The element is very common, found not only on Earth but throughout the universe. Molecular oxygen (O, often called free oxygen on Earth is thermodynamically un to living cells. When taken in small amounts, iron allows the body to replenish hemoglobin, but in large amounts it causes severe pHAlternate uses: see Ph pH (potential (of) hydrogen) is a measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution and, therefore, its acidity or alkalinity. The concept was introduced by S. Sorensen in 1909. The p stands for the German potenz mean imbalances in the body. If this overdose is not treated with chelationChelation (from greek, claw like) describes the reversible binding of an organic ligand, the chelator or chelating agent to a metal ion, forming a metal complex, the chelate . In contrast to the simple monodentate ligands like HO or NH, the polydentate ch therapy, it can lead to death.
Common types of drugs that are overdosed on:
1 BarbiturateBarbiturates are drugs that acts as central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and by virtue of this they produce a wide spectrum of effects, from mild sedation to anesthesia. Some also are used as anticonvulsants. Barbiturates are derivatives of barbituris
The word "overdose" implies that there is a safe dosage and therefore the term overdose is commonly only applied to drugs, not poisons. One can not overdose on cyanide because it is a poison-- it is harmful at any dosage.
5 See also
medical emergencies
