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Medical Author:

Hanan Al Hammadi, MD

Medical Editor:

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Charles Patrick Davis, MD, PhD

Dr. Charles "Pat" Davis, MD, PhD, is a board certified Emergency Medicine doctor who currently practices as a consultant and staff member for hospitals. He has a PhD in Microbiology (UT at Austin), and the MD (Univ. Texas Medical Branch, Galveston). He is a Clinical Professor (retired) in the Division of Emergency Medicine, UT Health Science Center at San Antonio, and has been the Chief of Emergency Medicine at UT Medical Branch and at UTHSCSA with over 250 publications.

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If minor symptoms of aspirin overdose are experienced, call a doctor to see if the medication should be stopped or the dosage reduced. Minor symptoms include ringing in the ears, dry mouth, and dizziness.

For all other symptoms, call 911 (or the local emergency phone number) immediately. Also consider transporting the affected person directly to a hospital's emergency department for evaluation. Serious symptoms include the following:

• Agitation, fever, convulsions, collapse, confusion, coma
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heart rate
• Rapid breathing
• Wheezing
• Vomiting and nausea
• Bleeding
• Hallucinations
• Drowsiness

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms occur with aspirin overdose:

• Any hearing loss
• Any abnormal bleeding
• Confusion
• Convulsions (seizures)
• Dizziness (severe)
• Drowsiness (severe)
• Excitement or nervousness (severe)
• Fast or deep breathing
• Hallucinations (seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there)
• Headache (severe or continuing)
• Increased sweating
• Nausea or vomiting (severe or continuing)
• Ringing or buzzing in the ears (continuing)
• Sweating
• Unexplained fever
• Unusual thirst
• Vision problems

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