Trazodone overdose: four years of experience from voluntary reports

The details of 88 cases involving trazodone overdose, either alone or in combination with other drugs, have been forwarded to the manufacturer by reporting physicians since trazodone was made available in March 1982. In 73 of these cases, recovery was uneventful; in 6 cases unexpected complications developed. Nine deaths occurred in patients who had taken trazodone in combination with other drugs and/or alcohol. These case reports are supplemented by data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Of 206 reported overdose exposures to trazodone, no deaths were recorded. For comparison, 2263 reported tricyclic and tetracyclic overdoses resulted in 16 deaths, and 125 reported monoamine oxidase inhibitor overdoses produced 3 fatalities. When taken alone in overdose, trazodone appears to have limited toxicity. Nevertheless, treatment should be monitored closely in patients who present with a history of seizures or who suffer from cardiovascular or respiratory disease.