Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 25, 2025
Demonstration of the Sequence Alignment to Predict Across Species Susceptibility Tool for Rapid Assessment of Protein Conservation
Published on: February 10, 2023
Single-substance trazodone exposures reported to US poison centers from 2000 to 2019
Nicholas Husak1, James Brewer Leonard1, Hyunuk Seung2
1Department of Pharmacy Practice and Science, Maryland Poison Center, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Background:
Individual case reports describe trazodone overdose resulting in QTc prolongation and cardiac arrhythmias. The clinical effects and outcomes associated with trazodone exposures on a large-scale basis are less well known.
Objective:
The primary objective was to characterize the severity of single substance trazodone exposures and identify any relationships that may exist between dose of trazodone and severity of exposure. The secondary objective was to describe these exposures from a demographic and clinical symptom standpoint.
Methods:
A retrospective review of single-substance trazodone exposures reported to the National Poison Data System (NPDS) from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2019 was performed. The primary objective was to characterize the severity of trazodone exposures and relationships between ingested dose and level of care required or medical outcome.
Results:
A total of 118,773 cases were included in the analysis of demographics and level of care required. A majority (59.5%) of cases did not require medical admission. Of the 81,698 cases with known medical outcomes, the most common clinical effects included mild-moderate CNS depression (49.7%), QTc prolongation (12.2% of cases in 2019), vomiting (9.0%), hypotension (7.0%), and tachycardia (7.0%). The median ingested dose associated with treatment, and release from the emergency department was 600 mg compared to 1500 mg in those admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). Regarding medical outcome, median ingested dose ranged from 600 mg in those experiencing no effect to 1500 mg in those experiencing major effects. Cardiac-related clinical effects and the need for cardiac-specific interventions were overall infrequent. A dose-response relationship was identified for level of care and medical outcome.
Conclusions:
Many trazodone exposures can be characterized as low severity due to the infrequent need for healthcare facility admission and large proportion of cases that experienced no effects or only minor effects.
More Related Videos
17:35A Microplate Assay to Assess Chemical Effects on RBL-2H3 Mast Cell Degranulation: Effects of Triclosan without Use of an Organic Solvent
Published on: November 1, 2013
11:14Rapid High-throughput Species Identification of Botanical Material Using Direct Analysis in Real Time High Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Published on: October 2, 2016
Related Concept Videos
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
01:20Desensitization and Tachyphylaxis
01:15Drug Concentration Versus Time Correlation
Two pivotal parameters are the minimum effective concentration (MEC) and the minimum toxic concentration (MTC). The MEC is the...
01:28Antidepressant Drugs: Tricyclics, SSRIs, and SNRIs
01:17Sedatives and Hypnotics Drugs: Miscellaneous Agents
Melatonin congeners like ramelteon (Rozerem) and tasimelteon (Hetlioz) selectively bind to melatonin receptors (MT1 and MT2) and thus mimic the actions of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Tasimelteon is primarily used for non-24-hour sleep-wake disorder, common in blind patients. They are also used to treat conditions like insomnia...
01:22Dose-Response Relationship: Potency and Efficacy