This drug is used to relieve coughing. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. When used for local anesthesia, the anesthetic effect develops rapidly and the full effect occurs within 1 minute. [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. Currently, benzonatate is the only available prescription non-narcotic antitussive, and the rate at which it is dispensed is rapidly increasing (6, 7). (Links to The Medical Letter review and the FDA warning are below.). If you miss a dose of benzonatate, skip that dose and take the next dose at the next scheduled time. Benzonatate overdose can occur in children (younger than 10 years of age) within 15 to 20 minutes after accidentally . Keep this drug away from young children. Do not use two doses at one time. Published by Oxford University Press. STORAGE: Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Deaths have been reported within hours of the accidental ingestion. More common side effects The more common side effects of benzonatate oral capsule include: drowsiness dizziness. 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. Sucking or chewing the capsule may cause your mouth and throat to feel numb or cause other serious side effects. Always ask a doctor before giving a cough medicine to a child. Is it safe to take? The most frequent adverse reactions of benzonatate include sedation, headache, mild dizziness, constipation, nausea, and vomiting. Drug information provided by: IBM Micromedex. Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. Benzonatate may be used to relieve the symptoms of a dry cough. Speak to your doctor about how drug interactions should be managed. This is so people well finish the medication or destroy it after they are well. hallucinations (seeing or hearing something that isnt there). Generally well tolerated if the capsules are swallowed whole. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. 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). Coughing can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and patients can be desperate for relief. Coughing can be very disruptive to work and to sleep, and patients can be desperate for relief. describe fatalities in 20 of the 31 overdose cases reported to the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS), recognizing a rapid onset of symptoms (within 1 h) and a relatively low margin for safety (6). Therefore,prescribing benzonatate to that age group is not recommended. To help prevent interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully. The most common side effects of Benzonatate include: drowsiness, dizziness, headache, 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). The FDA warning focused on accidental overdose in children under 10. Important legal mumbo jumbo: 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. Im certainly sympathetic to the miserable patient with a cold or bronchitis who has a terrible cough. Children over 10 years old can take benzonatate (Tessalon). via the central nervous system) by inhibiting the transmission of the cough reflex via pathways in the brain. All rights reserved. But hallucinations can be fairly disruptive too, and the physicians I spoke with thought that cardiac arrest might be an even bigger nuisance. Can be taken up to three times daily. Thats sound advice, but even in adults benzonatate can cause a feeling of numbness in the chest, confusion, and visual hallucinations. The pseudocholinesterase deficient portion of the population may be prone to increased sensitivities of this cough medication (16) because of diminished ability to hydrolyze the parent compound and thus potential prolongation of increased benzonatate activity. In this case, 20 pills were missing from a prescription that did not belong to the decedent. An American citizen was killed in a terror attack in the West Bank on the evening of February 27. Interestingly, the product insert directs one to not double up a missed dose of benzonatate and only take a maximum of 200 mg at a time. Overdose of benzonatate has been reported in adults and adolescents. If the patient chews or sucks the liquid-filled capsules or "softgels", the drug can cause laryngospasm, bronchospasm and circulatory collapse. Good luck. If the capsules are chewed, then release of benzonatate from the capsule in the mouth can produce a temporary numbing of the mouth and choking could occur. This may cause you to feel dizzy or faint. Prices for benzonatate (Tessalon) start at just $ 7.00 with a GoodRx coupon. It starts working about 1520 minutes after you swallow it. An overdose can be fatal, especially to a young child who has accidentally swallowed the medicine. The FDA warning focused on accidental overdose in children under 10. No, benzonatate (Tessalon) is not known to be habit-forming. Dont put this medication in your cars glove compartment or leave it in the car. In several of the published over-ingestion cases, as well as those observed in our office, only a small handful of pills was enough to cause seizures, a cardiac event and death. Sign up for free, and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips and current health topics, like COVID-19, plus expertise on managing health. Fast-acting. Copyright 1996-2023 Drugs.com. Call 911 if your symptoms feel life-threatening or if you think youre having a medical emergency. Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up-to-date. Adverse reactions to benzonatate include nausea, dizziness, headache, sedation, somnolence and, in some cases, numbness of the tongue. Talk to your doctor about other drug options that may work for you. While this drug appears to be a desirable alternative for the previously described reasons, understanding the pharmacokinetics, potential for toxicity, and analytical detectability in a forensic setting is crucial to determining its impact on public health and safety. Sedation, headache, constipation, nausea, itchiness, skin rash, nasal congestion, a burning sensation in the eyes. The biggest increase was 24% from 2015 to 2016. The old adage, when in doubt, throw it out, really applies here! It may also act on the cough center in the brain. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. Benzonatate is a cough suppressant available by prescription as a generic medication or under the brand Tessalon. A recent issue of The Medical Letter briefly highlighted an FDA warning about benzonatate. Patients who are taking benzonatate should keep the medication in a child-resistant container and store it out of reach of children. Benzonatate oral capsule is typically used for short-term treatment. Is it still safe to take? Other drugs that have the same active ingredients (e.g. All rights reserved. Brand names: Tessalon Perles, Tessalon, Zonatuss Sharon; Without a dought, it is as good as when you got it as long as you kept in a dry place like the cupboard. This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Image reprinted with permission from Medscape.com, 2010. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Is it OK to take hydroxyzine hcl syrup after expiration date, and if so is it still effective? Accidental death has occurred in children under 10 years old. Signs and symptoms of overdosage include tremors, convulsions, coma, and heart attack. 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. Upsides Used to relieve a dry, irritating cough. Do not exceed a single dose of 200mg or a total daily dose of 600mg. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. When flying, never put it into a checked bag. You should swallow this drug whole. CERT1_4-03. Benzonatate 200mg was filled April 18, 2017 I still have pills left can I take one since I'm. Answered by Dr. JD in 9 mins 13 years ago Dr. JD 15+ years of experience 820 satisfied customers Nortriptyline belongs to a class of drugs called tricyclic. Symptoms of an overdose include: If you think youve taken too much of this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center. Benzonatate [Package Insert]. Fortunately, at recommended . 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). Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2023. Can children take benzonatate (Tessalon)? Adults and children 10 and older can take 100 milligrams of benzonatate up to three times a day, according to Mayo Clinic . Is It Possible to Get RSV More Than Once? Comments: This drug should be swallowed whole. Subscribe to Drugs.com newsletters for the latest medication news, new drug approvals, alerts and updates. Use cough drops or lozenges. Warning focused on accidental overdose in children under 10 years old can take benzonatate ( Tessalon.. Doctor before giving a cough suppressant is truly necessary, dextromethorphan or codeine. 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