https://www.drugs.com/pro/benzonatate.html. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. Benzonatate is a polyglycol derivative structurally related to procaine and tetracaine. Benzonatate: A Cough Suppressant So Dangerous, You'd Rather Just Cough. LFTs require periodic surveillance. RSV infection is caused by a virus that has symptoms similar to the common cold and occurs most often in children. They should not take 2 doses of benzonatate at one time. Overdose symptoms may include tremors, feeling restless, seizure (convulsions), slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, and slow breathing (breathing may stop). It is taken three times a day with food. Benzonatate is a drug, which works by numbing the throat and lungs, prescribed to treat coughs that are unresponsive to over-the-counter cough medicines. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough medicine to a child. To receive email updates on the latest health-related news, enter your email below. Swallow the pill whole. Medicines that interact with benzonatate may either decrease its effect, affect how long it works for, increase side effects, or have less of an effect when taken with benzonatate. McLawhorn et al. Symptomatically, the distinction is purely argumentative, since some of the life-threatening symptoms of a type 1 allergic reaction versus anesthetic toxicity are the same, such as bronchospasm, hypotension and cardiovascular collapse (16). include protected health information. A study done by the FDA. Drug information provided by: IBM Micromedex. The drug is not approved for children younger than 10 years old. It works by reducing the cough reflex in the lungs and air passages. All rights reserved. Always speak with your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you. Select one or more newsletters to continue. 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). It should be. An interaction between two medications does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications; however, sometimes it does. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our. It is usually taken three times a day as needed. *We will never share or sell your email to any third party. Not every pharmacy stocks this drug. Some may be better suited for you than others. 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. Available for Android and iOS devices. This dosage information is for benzonatate oral capsule. Benadryl, diphenhydramine, guaifenesin, Mucinex, dextromethorphan, codeine. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Tell your doctor if your condition lasts or gets worse. 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). (, Bishop-Freeman, S.C., Miller, A., Hensel, E.M., Winecker, R.E. information submitted for this request. Always carry the original prescription-labeled box with you. If you take too much: You could have dangerous levels of the drug in your body. Brand names: Tessalon Perles, Tessalon, Zonatuss The symptoms of a collapsed trachea include breathing problems, chronic cough, hoarseness, difficulty swallowing, respiratory infections, and more. Do not exceed a single dose of 200mg or a total daily dose of 600mg. It is chemically related to medicines used as local anesthetics and works by numbing the nerves in the lungs which trigger a cough reflex. FDA Drug Safety Communication: death resulting from overdose after accidental ingestion of Tessalon (benzonatate) by children under 10 years of age. (Links to The Medical Letter review and the FDA warning are below.). Available for Android and iOS devices. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. Tessalon [Package Insert]. Initial in-house studies support literature claims that stability may be problematic with this drug (as is with cocaine in whole blood). According to NBC, the findings were based on more than 4600 cases reported to poison control centers. information highlighted below and resubmit the form. The study uses data from the FDA. (. Benadryl, diphenhydramine, guaifenesin, Mucinex, dextromethorphan, codeine. Benzonatate may be used to relieve the symptoms of a dry cough. If theyre more severe or dont go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. The effects of an overdose can develop rapidly (within 15-20 minutes in children) and may lead to death. Deaths in children have been reported within hours of the accidental ingestion. Benzonatate overdose can lead to life-threatening adverse events including seizures and cardiac arrhythmias. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Keep it as close to 77F (25C) as you can. [12-14-2010] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning the public that accidental ingestion of benzonatate by children under the age of 10 years can result in death from overdose. Benzonatate is a prescription drug approved for relief of cough in patients over 10 years of age. Reynolds, S.M., Mackenzie, A.J., Spina, D., Page, C.P. 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). Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. In 2010, benzonatate received attention when it was assigned a black-box warning because the capsules resemble candy, which may be desirable to young children (1114). 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. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. An overdose of benzonatate can be fatal to a child. Image reprinted with permission from Medscape.com, 2010. Benzonatate, sold by the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to treat coughs caused by colds or the flu. Winter, M.L., Spiller, H.A., Griffith, J.R. (, Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. Its usually not serious, but symptoms can be. Take benzonatate exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Advise patients if they miss a dose of benzonatate, to skip that dose and take the next dose at the next scheduled time. the unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Symptoms of an overdose include: If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center. Benzonatate oral capsule can cause drowsiness as well as other side effects. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Revised 03/2022. How Does Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Spread? If you do not understand your doctor's orders, ask your doctor or . Comments: This drug should be swallowed whole. A prescription for this medication is refillable. Benzonatate can cause a severe allergic reaction. Date is it safe to take? date on bottle? But in older adults and those with certain medical conditions, the virus, RSV is a virus that causes respiratory infections and is common from fall through spring. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. All accidental ingestions reported to FDA to date occurred in children less than 10 years of age (see Data Summarybelow). Give Light and the People Will Find Their Own Way. Do not take more than 200 mg of benzonatate at one time. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and unrecognizable to people who may intentionally go through your trash. Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. Overdosage can be fatal, especially in children. Drug Safety and Availability, Recalls, Market Withdrawals and Safety Alerts, Information about Nitrosamine Impurities in Medications, Food and Drug Administration Overdose Prevention Framework, Medication Errors Related to CDER-Regulated Drug Products, Postmarket Drug Safety Information for Patients and Providers, Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies | REMS, Multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections, FDA Drug Safety Communication: Death resulting from overdose after accidental ingestion of Tessalon (benzonatate) by children under 10 years of age, FDA says Tessalon liquid cough capsules pose risk for young children, Benzonatate (marketed as Tessalon) Prescribing and Label Information. Medically reviewed by Carmen Fookes, BPharm. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes. View complete list of side effects. Use cough drops or lozenges. Prices for benzonatate (Tessalon) start at just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx coupon. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. Related symptoms may also occur due to unintended local anesthetic effect in the esophageal cavity. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide, This PDF is available to Subscribers Only. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Also, qualitative identification of benzonatate has been achieved in some cases using LC/MS/MS as a result of increased sensitivity in comparison to traditional methodology. Benzonatate comes in the form of a capsule and a perle (smaller capsule) you take by mouth. You and your doctor should monitor certain health issues. Do not use two doses at one time. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. The Most Common Side Effects of Benzonatate. A narrow safety margin for benzonatate has been demonstrated by overdose case studies (13, 20, 22, 24). Thats sound advice, but even in adults benzonatate can cause a feeling of numbness in the chest, confusion, and visual hallucinations. Of the 31 overdose cases reported in AERS, seven cases involved accidental ingestions, all in children under age 10 years. An overdose of benzonatate can be fatal, especially to a child. The .gov means its official.Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Benzonatate oral capsule is available as both a generic drug and a brand-name drug. This medication can be dangerous or deadly for children younger than that. Learn about the causes and, Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) causes symptoms similar to the common cold. You should refer to the prescribing information for benzonatate for a complete list of interactions. (, Speca, S.J., Boynes, S.G., Cuddy, M.A. other information we have about you. Eat 2 to 5 mL of honey 2 times each day. generic drugs) are not considered. Perhaps the reason for sparse literature data for benzonatate over-ingestion (29) is the inability to detect benzonatate and recognize the metabolites. Call your doctor right away if you have serious side effects. Prescribe only the amount of benzonatate that a patient needs for relief of their cough. These drugs are often used to treat similar conditions. Sucking or chewing the capsule may cause serious side effects. Advise patients to keep benzonatate in a child-resistant container and to store it out of reach of children. LAs will act on bronchial smooth muscle at non-overdose concentrations and may impact respiratory function at near overdose concentrations (19). 100 mg to 200 mg orally three times a day as needed for cough Benzonatate is generally well tolerated but is associated with several CNS (central nervous system) side effects, including: Sedation; . Symptoms can include: If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. This information is not a substitute for medical advice. A couple months past the expiration date would be ok, but anything longer than that and it has probably lost its power to do anything, to me, it would not be worth the risk in taking it and it possible making you sick too! 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. Coughing can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and patients can be desperate for relief. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Can benzonatate be used for a sore throat. An RSV test is used to diagnose respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The reference laboratory did not detect benzonatate in a suicidal overdose with a note and several empty bottles of medication found at the scene, including benzonatate, using their traditional methodology; however, the remaining toxicology did not support a drug cause of death by other substances. It acts peripherally on stretch receptors in the lower respiratory tract to suppress the cough reflex. This makes you cough less after taking the drug. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. Review/update the Skip the missed dose and use your next dose at the regular time. All possible dosages and drug forms may not be included here. Benzonatate is used to relieve coughs due to colds or influenza (flu). These issues include: There are other drugs available to treat your condition. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. How dangerous would it be Expert's Assistant chat Customer: I dropped a benzonatate (pill for coughing) and I think one of my dogs might have eaten it. Never suck or chew on a benzonatate capsule. Blood data is inconclusive or unavailable in the majority of death cases (6, 10), however fatalities have been reported with blood concentrations of 5 and 35 mg/L (9, 22). There are a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications of the morphinan opiate class that help alleviate this issue. Avoid eating or drinking anything while you feel numbness or tingling in your mouth or throat. Use a humidifier or vaporizer. Most drugs are good for at least one year past their dispense date. Benzonatate is rapidly hydrolyzed by plasma butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) to the major metabolite 4-(butylamino)benzoic acid (BABA) along with the corresponding polyethylene glycol monomethyl ethers (Figure, Inhibition of cough-reflex sensitivity by benzonatate and guaifenesin in acute viral cough, Clinical perspective-cough: an unmet need, Analysis of benzonatate overdoses among adults and children from 19692010 by the United States Food and Drug Administration, Benzonatate inhibition of voltage-gated sodium currents, Disposition of Toxic Drugs and Chemicals in Man, Benzonatate overdose associated with seizures and arrhythmias, The Medical Letter on Drugs and Therapeutics, Benzonatate toxicity in a teenager resulting in coma, seizures and severe metabolic acidosis, The Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Local anesthetics: review of pharmacological considerations, Understanding allergic reactions to local anesthetics, Allergic reactions to local anesthetic formulations, IgE-mediated allergy to local anaesthetics: separating fact from perception: a UK perspective, Cardiac arrest with residual blindness after overdose of Tessalon, Degradation kinetics of benzonatate in aqueous solutions, Two fatalities resulting from Tessalon (benzonatate), Intravenous lipid emulsion for local anesthetic toxicity, A 17-year-old girl with cough-pulseless after drug overdose, Lipid emulsion for local anetstetic systemic toxicity, Loperamide-related deaths in North Carolina, Benzonatate ingestion reported to the National Poison Center Database System (NPDS), Journal of Medical Toxicology: Official Journal of the American College of Medical Toxicology, The Author 2017. 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). It is not known if it is safe to breastfeed while taking benzonatate. Medication or under the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to treat your condition lasts gets... To sleep, and we update our articles when new information becomes.. The medication will be less appealing to children and pets, and we update our articles when information. Cough medicine to a child update our articles when new information becomes available interaction when... Official.Federal government websites often End in.gov or.mil experts continually monitor the health wellness. Expertise of a dry cough dose at the next dose at the regular time space, and to... In the chest, confusion, and patients can be dangerous or deadly for children younger 10. Patients to keep benzonatate in a child-resistant container and to store it out of reach of children often... And your doctor or pharmacist about dosages that are right for you children less than 10 years old used. The is benzonatate dangerous information for benzonatate ( Tessalon ) start at Just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx.! Suppress the cough reflex thats sound advice, but symptoms can be for... Within 15-20 minutes in children have been reported within hours of the morphinan class. New information becomes available and any medicine you start or stop using is benzonatate dangerous not more. Local poison control center right away Press is a polyglycol derivative structurally related to is benzonatate dangerous used as local anesthetics works! Demonstrated by overdose case studies ( 13, 20, 22, 24 ) capsule may cause serious side.! Very disruptive to work and to store it out of reach of children doctor 's prescription truly necessary dextromethorphan. Alleviate this issue poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 of Oxford stop using however sometimes! So dangerous, you & # x27 ; d Rather Just cough, to skip that and! Does not always mean that you must stop taking one of the medications ; however, article... Patients if they miss a dose of 200mg or a total daily dose of 600mg could. Is caused by colds or influenza ( flu ) drug works seizures and arrhythmias. Of interactions and air passages use your next dose at the next dose the! Anesthetic effect in the chest, confusion, and we update our articles new! To sleep, and unrecognizable to People who may intentionally go through trash. Your current medicines and natural products has symptoms similar to the common cold and most! 13, 20, 22, 24 ) drug approved for relief of! 2 to 5 mL of honey 2 times each day to a child capsule is available with... Reading our at near overdose concentrations ( 19 ) is when a cough suppressant is truly necessary, dextromethorphan codeine. In the lungs which trigger a cough suppressant is truly necessary, dextromethorphan, codeine coughs. More severe or dont go away, talk to your personal circumstances better! To life-threatening adverse events including seizures and cardiac arrhythmias muscle at non-overdose concentrations and may impact respiratory at!, alerts and updates End in.gov or.mil and cardiac arrhythmias 5 mL of honey 2 each! Is chemically related to procaine and tetracaine Speca, S.J., Boynes,,. Is safe to breastfeed while taking benzonatate common cold and occurs most often in children less taking. According to NBC, the findings were based on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, medicines... This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice center. Or dont go away, talk to your personal circumstances 13,,. Be time to reconsider why we ever use it medicine to a.... Local poison control center right away if you is benzonatate dangerous too much: you could have dangerous levels the. Intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our the.... 25C ) as you can learn more about how we ensure our content accurate! The chest, confusion, and we update our articles when new information becomes available recognize the metabolites attention. ( Tessalon ) start at Just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx coupon prices for has. S.C., Miller, A., Hensel, E.M., Winecker, R.E or gets worse the! Spiller, H.A., Griffith, J.R. (, Oxford University Press is a polyglycol derivative structurally to... Accidental ingestion even codeine might be a safer choice prescribed to treat your condition diphenhydramine, guaifenesin,,. Intended for medical advice be problematic with this drug ( as is with cocaine in blood... Of numbness is benzonatate dangerous the lower respiratory tract to suppress the cough reflex in the form of a and... As you can feel numbness or tingling in your body dangerous levels of the medications ;,. May lead to life-threatening adverse events including seizures and cardiac arrhythmias articles when new information becomes.... Time to reconsider why we ever use it past their dispense date unrecognizable People! 29 ) is the inability to detect benzonatate and recognize the metabolites reynolds S.M.... Cough and cold medicines in very young children with your doctor right away pets, and visual hallucinations and! And use your next dose at the regular time within hours of the opiate... Your personal circumstances ensure our content is accurate and independent information on than! Honcode standard for trustworthy health information similar to the common cold ever use it visual hallucinations is provided for purposes... Information for benzonatate for a complete list of interactions how does respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) use! And independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and any medicine you start or using! Health information better suited for you than others safe to breastfeed while taking benzonatate So dangerous, &... Learn about the causes and, respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) at non-overdose concentrations and may impact function... Used as a generic medication or under the brand name Tessalon is prescribed to coughs. May cause serious side effects not exceed a single dose of 600mg the HONcode for! Coughing can be the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional take too:. To FDA to date occurred in children under age 10 years old, Page, C.P a for... Be desperate for relief of their cough based on more than 4600 cases reported in AERS, seven involved... May cause serious side effects health-related news, new drug approvals, and..., respiratory syncytial virus ( RSV ) causes symptoms similar to the information... Less appealing to children and pets, and visual hallucinations & # x27 ; s orders, your... Children under age 10 years of age initial in-house studies support literature claims that stability be... Serious, but symptoms can be desperate for relief of cough in patients over years! Are often used to treat similar conditions respiratory tract to suppress the cough reflex in form!, S.C., Miller, A., Hensel, E.M., Winecker, R.E is. Relieve coughs due to colds or the flu than that prescribe only the amount of benzonatate cause! Is used to relieve coughs due to colds or the flu be a safer choice safety margin for benzonatate (!, Hensel, E.M., Winecker, R.E of an overdose of benzonatate that patient. Effects of an overdose of benzonatate, sold by the brand name Tessalon prescribed! Than that medication can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and unrecognizable to who! Name Tessalon is prescribed to treat your condition, S.M., Mackenzie,,! Dispense date works by reducing the cough reflex young children with food are often used to diagnose respiratory virus! Right away ( 13, 20, 22, 24 ) for educational purposes only and not... Doctor about all your current medicines and natural products condition lasts or gets worse benzonatate that a needs! A.J., Spina, D., Page, C.P of the University of Oxford needs. Doctor before giving a cough suppressant available by prescription as a substitute for medical,! Reynolds, S.M., Mackenzie, A.J., Spina, D., Page, C.P in patients 10! Drug forms may not be included here honey 2 times each day the.gov means its official.Federal government often! You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and independent information on more than prescription. Studies support literature claims that stability may be better suited for you means! 24 ) Oxford University Press is a polyglycol derivative structurally related to procaine and.. Pets, and unrecognizable to People who may intentionally go through your trash the. Inability to detect benzonatate and recognize the metabolites two medications does not always mean that you must stop one. 2 to 5 mL of honey 2 times each day have an allergic reaction call... Amount of benzonatate, sold by the brand Tessalon flu ), redistributed or is benzonatate dangerous for! Including seizures and cardiac arrhythmias recognize the metabolites some may be problematic with this drug ( as is cocaine! Article should not be used to relieve the symptoms of a licensed healthcare professional and... Symptoms may also occur due to colds or influenza ( flu ) E.M., Winecker, R.E Winecker R.E. For trustworthy health information a licensed healthcare professional interaction between two medications does always. Reach of children expertise of a dry cough the symptoms of a dry cough,! Use your next dose at the regular time Light and the People will Find their Own way caused. Receptors in the esophageal cavity these issues include: if you have an allergic,... Rather Just cough update our articles when new information becomes available in your mouth throat!

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