Everything You Need to Know about Buspirone Overdose

Buspirone is a drug that belongs to the azaspirodecanedione class. It functions primarily as an anxiolytic and an anti-agitation drug. In this article, you will learn the uses of buspirone, common side effects, what to do in case of buspirone overdose, and how to prevent a buspirone overdose.

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Buspirone Uses

Treatment for Anxiety Disorder

Buspirone is a psychoactive substance that affects the central nervous system. It’s used to treat generalized anxiety disorder, which is characterized by excessive and uncontrolled worry about common everyday problems. It’s not known exactly how buspirone works. However, it seems to affect chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause anxiety.

Treatment for PTSD

Buspirone can also treat a condition known as post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD. It occurs in people who have been exposed to traumatic experiences such as:

• Sexual abuse
• War
• Violence
• Disasters

People with PTSD often relive the trauma through nightmares, flashbacks, suffer from mood disturbances, anxiety, insomnia, and emotional numbing. Buspirone can reduce these symptoms and treat uncontrolled agitation that often accompanies PTSD. Buspirone also helps in the treatment of:

• Sleeping disorders
• Irritability or nervousness
• Panic attacks
• Social phobia
• Irritable bowel syndrome

Some patients have reported that buspirone has made them more aggressive or given them suicidal thoughts. However, these outcomes are rare. You will take buspirone one to three times a day most of the time. However, it’s recommended that you don’t drive or operate machinery until you know how the drug affects you.

Can You Overdose on Buspirone?

The prospect for overdose with buspirone is low because patients have to take large doses of this medicine to get the effects. For example, you would have to take more than 100 times your usual dose to overdose on this medication. That said, it might be possible to take too much buspirone in a suicide attempt or if a patient unintentionally takes a more potent dosage of this medication than prescribed by their doctor.

How to Recognize Buspirone Overdose?

If you suspect someone is overdosing on buspirone, the first thing to look for are signs of drug misuse or abuse. These can include:

• Sedation
• Drowsiness
• Excessive tiredness
• Lack of coordination or weakness in muscles
• Neglecting responsibilities such as paying bills, keeping up with work, or taking care of children

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Warning Signs of Buspirone Overdose

The patient may experience:

• Severe drowsiness or lethargy
• Stupor or coma
• Confusion or disorientation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Hypotension (abnormally low blood pressure)
• Urinary retention or constipation, which may lead to an obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract
• Hallucinations
• Delusions
• Convulsions
• Respiratory and cardiovascular collapse

Buspirone Overdose Potential

If someone overdoses on buspirone, they will likely be doing it in conjunction with other drugs such as:

• Alcohol
• Amphetamines
• Morphine or opiates
• Benzodiazepines

In this case, the combined effects of these substances might cause serious health problems and even death.

Treatment of Buspirone Overdose

There is no specific antidote for buspirone overdose. Treatment consists of gastric lavage (stomach pumping) or activated charcoal to absorb any drug that may remain in the gastrointestinal tract. Measures to reduce the absorption of the drug may also be taken. Respiratory support should be started early, preferably by intubation of the trachea (a plastic tube inserted into breathing passages).

Death from Buspirone Overdose

There are no clinical studies indicating death from buspirone overdose, however, death is possible.