
When should you seek medical assistance for an aspirin overdose? Rapid breathing, shortness of breath, fever, fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema), changes in laboratory values (such as a low oxygen level in the blood or a buildup of lactic acid in the blood), seizures, and brain swelling can develop. In gradual aspirin poisoning, symptoms can take days or weeks to develop and may include: If the poisoning is severe, light-headedness, a fever, drowsiness, blurry vision, agitation, confusion, seizures, difficulty breathing, or kidney failure may develop. If a single large toxic dose of aspirin has been taken, the first symptoms are usually: What are the symptoms of an aspirin overdose? Make sure to keep aspirin out of sight and away from children. Children under the age of 16 are also at risk of Reye syndrome (a rare and sometimes fatal disorder associated with aspirin use that can cause swelling in the liver or brain), even with usual dosages of aspirin, which is why aspirin is generally not recommended in children and teenagers. Toxic and lethal doses for children are much lower. The low dosage of aspirin recommended for people to reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke (1 baby aspirin or ½ of an adult aspirin) is too small to cause aspirin poisoning even when taken for a long time. It’s important to discuss your use of aspirin with your doctor, as you may have factors that increase your risk of overdose. In older adults or people with malfunctioning kidneys taking regular medium to high-dose aspirin (325-650mg every 4 to 6 hours), dehydration or hot weather can heighten the risk of chronic overdose. A dose of 500 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (34,000mg for a 68kg person) is considered a potentially lethal dose of aspirin, and could result in death. An acute aspirin overdose may be accidental or intentional.Ī toxic dose of aspirin for a human adult is considered to be 200 to 300 milligrams per kilogram of body weight (works out to be 13,600 to 20,400mg of aspirin for a person who weighs 68 kg ).

An aspirin overdose can occur after a single large dose (this is called an acute overdose) or develop gradually after taking lower doses for a long time (this is called a chronic overdose).
