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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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The treatment of aspirin poisoning has three objectives:

1. To prevent further absorption of aspirin into the body
2. To correct dehydration and acid-base abnormalities
3. To reduce the amount of salicylate within the body by increasing the rate at which the body can get rid of it

Gastric lavage may be beneficial, unless contraindicated, up to 60 minutes after salicylate ingestion. Warmed (38 C or 100.4 F) isotonic sodium chloride solution may be used. The airway should be protected before gastric lavage.

Dialysis is another way to reduce the amount of salicylate in the body. The same technique that helps patients with kidney failure rid their bodies of toxins can also be used to quickly eliminate aspirin from the body of a person who has been poisoned with aspirin.

Many doctors recommend a toxicologist be consulted for aspirin overdose.

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