Guidelines for Older Adults
To increase public awareness and decrease the number of poisoning occurrences in children, the Cincinnati Drug and Poison Information Center suggests the following guidelines for older adults.
The most effective way to address poisonings is through prevention. Poisoning is common and can happen to you. Poisonings occur in adults as well as children. Of the two million exposures reported each year, nearly 100,000 occur in adults over 59 years old.
How Do Poisonings Occur in Adults?
- Too much of a good thing (medications).
- A good thing given to or taken by the wrong person (medications).
- Substances transferred into unmarked containers.
- Environmental toxins like carbon monoxide.
- Accidental misuse such as fumes from mixing cleaners.
Often, older adults are less likely to have poison-proofed their homes because their children are grown, but a visit to grandma or grandpa's house could be hazardous.
What Can You Do to Prevent Poisonings?
- Do not take medicine in the dark.
- Do not transfer substances into unmarked containers.
- Never "borrow" a friend's medicine or take old medicines.
- Do not store potential poisons near food or medicines.
- Carefully follow directions when handling chemicals.
- Be aware that no container is "child-proof" -- child-resistant containers can slow children down but may not prevent them from opening a container.
- Call the local poison control center immediately with any questions or for assistance if an exposure occurs.
The following are examples of actual cases handled by the poison control center. The names have been altered to ensure confidentiality.
- Ed is a 54-year-old man with a heart condition. He was supposed to take five prednisone for a recent problem with poison ivy. The prednisone looks like Lanoxin", his heart medication. He accidentally took five Lanoxin".
- John reached into his medicine cabinet to get toothpaste. It was dark, and he was not wearing his glasses. He brushed his teeth with Preparation-H" for hemorrhoids.
- Ethel is a 61-year-old woman who works at an assembly plant. She keeps nitroglycerin in her bra, so that it will always be available if she needs it. Nitroglycerin relieves chest pain when placed under the tongue. The nitroglycerin tablets spilled out of the bottle onto her clothing, and the drug was absorbed through her skin. As a result, Ethel developed severe headache and dizziness.
The Cincinnati Drug and Poison Information Center (Poison Control Center) is available 24 hours daily, 513-636-5111 or 1-800-222-1222.
