In exchange, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of up to four years in the Wyoming Women's Center. 16 February 2002. Always read the label before using any over-the-counter (OTC) product. Then his wife admitted to poisoning his water with eye drops. "Investigator Testifies That Airman Confessed to Eskew Killing." In March 2013, a 27-year-old mechanic named Shayne Carpenter was arrested in Grass Valley, California, for putting eye drops in his girlfriend's drink after an argument with her, causing her to feel ill. state Department of Insurance said when announcing his arrest last month. "Crater Lake Worker Called Visine Poisoning a 'Harmless Prank.' Clinical Toxicology, 52(5), 454-469. Symptoms of tetrahydrozoline poisoning include: Blood pressure changes; Nausea; Vomiting; Seizures; Coma; Difficulty breathing; Xiidra does not contain tetrahydrozoline, but is still considered potentially harmful when swallowed. Ive reached out to Visine and Johnson & Johnson for comment on these cases. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. However, make sure that the redness is not from something more serious like a bad allergic reaction, an infection, glaucoma, or a harpoon. Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Accessed June 8, 2021. Visine side effects. To avoid mishap one probably ought to take 150% the minimum lethal dose. Next got in a car accident and died. If you suspect someone has ingested tetrahydrozoline, do not try to make the person vomit it back up as that may actually increase their absorption of the chemical. "Woman Charged with Assault by Visine Eye Drops." This is a free and confidential service. Associated Press. If you or a loved one drank eyedrops or nasal decongestant sprays by accident or on purpose, do not wait for symptoms to occur. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. Established in 1923, the College of Pharmacy is the oldest college in the UF Academic Health Center. In: Aronson JK, ed. Always read the label before using any over-the-counter (OTC) product. The chemical in eye drops, tetrahydrozoline, works great on the eyes, but if swallowed in significant quantities, it can attack the nervous system and be deadly. Journal of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, 29(1), 80-92. A 33-year-old Pennsylvania woman could spend the rest of her life in prison after admitting to police that she repeatedly poisoned her boyfriend with Visine eye drops for more than three years in . "Chills, sweats, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. Standard operative procedures and auditing for poisoning cases in India. A., & Brown, J. T. (2014). The imidazoline derivatives, oxymetazoline, xylometazoline, tetrahydrozoline, and naphazoline, are found in topical ophthalmic and nasal decongestants available OTC.They are generally used as topical vasoconstrictors in the nose and eyes for temporary relief of nasal congestion due to colds, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies, or sinusitis. The mouth may have a metallic taste and the breath emits a garlic type of odor. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. On Thursday, Lana Sue Clayton was sentenced to 25-years in prison for voluntary manslaughter. Reviewed by: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Emeritus, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Clinical Pediatrics. The throat may feel tight and hoarse. Toxicology tests showed the woman had a fatal dose of tetrahydrozoline . Not your mouth or other orifices. Contact Poison Control right away if you suspect a poisoning. Together we create unstoppable momentum. The smaller the body size, the less thats needed to cause major problems and even be life threatening. Tetrahydrozoline poisoning occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally swallows this product. Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. Jennings s is being held on $25,000 bond and will be sentenced at a later date. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. Products containing tetrahydrozoline can interact with many prescription drugs. When investigators contacted the husband he reported experiencing stomach problems for the past two months, and poison control personnel informed a detective that ingesting too much Visine "would put a person in a coma with several other serious symptoms. In February 2013, a Pennsylvania court sentenced 33-year-old Vickie Jo Mills to two to four years in prison for putting eyedrops into her boyfriend's drinking water 10 to 12 times, causing him to suffer from nausea, vomiting, blood pressure problems and breathing trouble before blood tests revealed the presence of tetrahydrozoline in his system. Clonidine and topical imidazolines exposure in toddlers. Eventually, the 35-year-old Hunsucker was arrested on December 19, 2019, and also charged with first degree murder. Please remove adblock to help us create the best medical content found on the Internet. Tetrahydrozoline causes constriction of blood vessels when it is applied directly on the eye; this reduces eye redness. Teenagers and adults who drink larger amounts may also experience heart rhythm abnormalities and breathing problems that can be life-threatening. Fifty-three cases reported hospitalization due to symptoms including nausea, vomiting, lethargy, tachycardia, decreased respiration, bradycardia, hypotension, hypertension, sedation, somnolence,. Some common symptoms that might point to a poisoning include: Nausea and . Answered Apr 20, 2022. Signs or symptoms of dehydration excessive thirst, dry mouth, little or no urination, severe weakness, dizziness, or lightheadedness Neurological symptoms such as blurry vision, muscle weakness and tingling in the arms Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic From Mayo Clinic to your inbox There is no antidote for tetryzoline or other similar imidazoline analogue poisoning, but the symptoms can be alleviated and with treatment, death is rare . Lana Sue Clayton in a 2018 booking photo. I felt awful, she told Inside Edition. Learn about UF clinical research studies that are seeking volunteers. Tetrahydrozoline, a derivative of imidazoline, is widely used for the symptomatic relief of conjunctival and nasal congestion; however, intentional or unintentional high doses can result in toxicity manifested by hypotension, tachycardia, and CNS depression. Children are most at risk of Visine poisoning Most cases of poisoning are not criminal, but accidental by children or pets who find the small bottles of odorless, clear solution. Aronson JK. They said they are "shocked and mortified by the cause of Steven's death All our family and friends know how much he loved his wife and how devoted he was to her. The comments below have not been moderated, Tragedy as high school track athlete dies after being hit by a discus during competition, Father and daughter plunge hand-in-hand to their deaths from bridge while holding their pet Chihuahua, Ken Bruce finishes his 30-year tenure as host of BBC Radio 2, Insane moment river of rocks falls onto Malibu Canyon in CA, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' The cause of death was listed as tetrahydrozoline poisoning and classified as a homicide, not suicide or an accident. Paksu, M. S., Paksu, S., Akkus, T., & Baysal, K. (2012). Several systems of the body, such as the respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, and ENT may be affected. Some individuals may have long-lasting complications if multiple organs are damaged by the drug. Constricting blood vessels in your eyes is how they get the red out.. Alcohol. 7 September 1997 (p. A32). DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional. His wife claimed he had succumbed to a fatal fall. , updated COMMON BRAND NAME (S): Eye Drops, Geneye, Opti-Clear, Redness Reliever, Visine, Visine Red Eye Comfort. You can thank tetrahydrozoline for helping do this. He was found dead in the homeon July 21. A 19-year-old Wyoming woman accused of poisoning her stepmother with eye drops has pleaded no contest to an aggravated assault charge. Both options are free for the public, and available 24 hours a day. In June 2014, a 22-year-old woman named Samantha Elizabeth Unger was arrested in Thurmont, Maryland, and charged with aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of children. Constricting blood vessels in your eyes is how they get the red out., The FDA considers the risk for these products to be low as they are labeled for external use only and are clearly marked keep out of reach of children.. Some individuals may have long-lasting complications if multiple organs are damaged by the drug. Los Angeles Times. Clayton, you sure have tangled this one up, he said. "Severe Nausea and Vomiting with Timolol Eye Drops." 13 March 2013. In an online newsletter, titled Red-Eye Drops: Poisonous to Drink, Safe If Used Correctly, it said that intentionally or accidentally drinking eye drops could lead to toxic blood levels. 14 November 2006. Lowry, J. Tetrahydrozoline is sold under the following brand names: Note: This list may not be all inclusive. (Photo: Getty Images). Some reports show that patients who ingest tetrahydrozaline have severe drops in blood pressure and heart rate, which may seem counterintuitive, considering eye drops are meant to constrict blood. Significance of the imidazoline receptors in toxicology. Dangerously low body temperature (hypothermia) Blurred vision Nausea and vomiting Difficulty in breathing or even a complete halt in breathing Elevating (hypertension) then dropping (hypotension). DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional. The stepmother was hospitalized twice with various ailments. Learn how we can help. 9 January 2009. It does NOT need to be an emergency. In general, be careful about using such eye drops, even if they go where they are supposed to go. Eye drops like Visine, Murine Plus,and Clarine are marketed as ways for you to get the red out of your eyes. . The Washington Post. Tetrahydrozoline is a form of a medicine called imidazoline, which is found in over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays. The drug may be sold under brand names Eyesine, Geneye, Murine Tears Plus, Optigene 3, Tyzine, Visine Original and Advanced Relief among others, Tetrahydrozoline Poisoning is the accidental or intentional intake of medication containing tetrahydrozoline, The condition is diagnosed based upon the clinical history, combination of signs and symptoms, and additional tests (that may include, in some cases, radiological studies and laboratory tests), Tetrahydrozoline Poisoning is caused by the intake of large amounts of tetrahydrozoline containing medicated solutions, This intake could be accidental, or in some cases intentional, to bring self-harm, Breathing difficulties; absence of breathing, Vision abnormalities including blurred vision; dilated pupils, Bluish discoloration of lips and beneath fingernails, If the individual with Tetrahydrozoline Poisoning is in a coma, or is experiencing life-threatening symptoms, call 911 (or your local emergency help number) immediately, Call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222 (or your local poison control center) for further instructions, Provide them with information such as dosage, type of drug taken, strength and time of ingestion of medication, age, weight and general health status of affected individual, Confirm that the airways are protected; also, ensure breathing and the presence of pulse, Unless instructed by a healthcare professional, DO NOT induce vomiting in the affected individual, Take individual to emergency room (ER) for further treatment, Always try to take the medication strip/bottle/container to the ER, Medically manage symptoms; provide breathing support, if necessary, Administer activated charcoal to avoid absorbance of drug in the body, Administer laxatives for elimination of drug from the body, Administer fluids by an intravenous drip line, The individual who overdosed, or someone near, should call 911 for emergency assistance (or the local emergency number), They should also call the poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 (or the local poison control center) and follow instructions, The prognosis of Tetrahydrozoline Overdose is dependent on the amount of drug consumed, time between ingestion and treatment, severity of the symptoms, as well as general health status of the patient, If the individual can recover from the symptoms within a period of 24 hours, with adequate medication and support, the outcome is generally good, In case of severe symptoms including abnormal heart-rates, seizures, and coma, it may considerably worsen the outcome. A few eyedrops in someone's drink can apparently leave him sitting on the toilet for the rest of the evening with a nasty case of "the runs.". Tetra-hi what? You could kill the person. Eye drops designed to treat rednessare not intended to be consumed orally. The former Veterans Affairs nurse and South Carolina resident had pleaded guilty of putting Visine eye drops in her husbands drink. Clinical rotations in all the major disciplines are provided for UFCOM undergraduate medical students and elective rotations to students from other accredited schools. Our state-of-the-art medical center serves an urban population of 1 million from north Florida to south Georgia. A North Carolina paramedic allegedly murdered his wife by poisoning her with Visine. National Capital Poison Center (USA)3201 New Mexico Ave, Suite 310 Washington, DC 20016Administrative Line: (202) 362-3867Emergency Line: 1 (800) 222-1222Fax: (202) 362-8377Email: [email protected]: http://www.poison.org, American Association of Poison Control Centers (USA)515 King St., Suite 510, Alexandria, VA 22314Phone: (703) 894-1858Email: [email protected]: http://www.aapcc.org, National Poisons Centre (New Zealand)Dunedin School of Medicine, University of OtagoPO Box 913 Dunedin 9054, New ZealandPhone: 0800 POISON (0800 764 766)Website: http://www.poisons.co.nz, NSW Poisons Information Centre (Australia)Hawkesbury Rd & Hainsworth Street, Westmead NSW 2145, AustraliaPhone: +61 13 11 26Email: [email protected]: https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au, British Columbia Drug and Poison Information Centre (Canada)Room 0063, BC Centre for Disease Control655 West 12th AvenueVancouver, BC V5Z 4R4 CanadaPhone: (604) 682-5050Toll-Free: 1 (800) 567-8911Fax: (604) 707-2807Website: http://www.capcc.ca, Poisons Information Centre (South Africa)Room 411, Institute of Child HealthRed Cross Children's HospitalKlipfontein Road, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town South AfricaPhone: +27 21 658 5308Fax: +27 21 650 4492Email: [email protected]: https://www.afritox.co.za, National Poisons Information Service (United Kingdom)City Hospital Dudley Rd, Birmingham United Kingdom B187QHPhone: +44 844 892 0111Fax: +44 121 507 55 88Email: [email protected]: http://www.npis.org, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002590.htm (accessed on 06/20/2017), https://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+7471 (accessed on 06/20/2017), https://www.drugs.com/cdi/tetrahydrozoline-eye-drops.html (accessed on 06/20/2017), https://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm253338.htm (accessed on 06/20/2017). Acetaminophen. On Thursday, the woman, Lana Sue Clayton, 53, a former Veterans Affairs nurse, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for killing her husband, Stephen D. Clayton, 64, at their home in Clover, S.C., the documents show. Rhyee, S. H., Traub, S. J., & Grayzel, J. 2004 Oct;27(3):313-4. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. Dont say wow so often. In Patient Centered Medicine. The person may receive: Survival past 24 hours is usually a good sign that the person will recover.Some individuals may have long-lasting complications if multiple organs are damaged by the drug. Gentissi experienced vomiting and bleeding from his rectum, and Anzalone eventually agreed to a plea bargain with prosecutors under which she was ordered to pay $10,000 in hospital bills, serve three years' probation, and obey an order of protection. 10 October 2003 (Orange County Edition; p. B3). 16th ed. Lee BY. Jennings was arrested last November after her stepmother saw a Web search history related to Visine poisonings on a computer at the house and became suspicious, The Casper Star Tribune reported. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. In June 2006, five Wisconsin high school students trying to pull the Visine prank poured about a quarter of a bottle of the eyedrops into a classmate's water. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. If swallowed,the medication can cause illness and even death. The resulting symptoms are nothing, nothing at all like the Hollywood version of events. Medical literature reports other cases of small children brought to the brink of crisis by ingestion of tiny amounts of over-the-counter eye drops. Find patient medical information for tetrahydrozoline ophthalmic (eye) on WebMD including its uses, side effects and safety, interactions, pictures, warnings and user ratings. Dr. D talks about tetrahydrozoline (the active ingredient in many over the counter eye drops) and. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Tetryzoline. Tetrahydrozoline, a form of medicine found in many over the counter eye drops such as Visine, can cause seizures, blurred vision, difficulty breathing and may even result in a coma if taken. The UF College of Pharmacy-Jacksonville offers a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.) Approved by: Krish Tangella MD, MBA, FCAP. Editorial team. "Pa. Woman Gets 2-4 Years for Poisoning Man with Visine." Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Automobile fluids. How Visine eye drops in the mouth can kill, here are two cases. I felt awful," she told Inside Edition. Further, any substance ingested in a sufficient quantity can likewise be toxic. Tetryzoline, also known as tetrahydrozoline, is a derivative of imidazoline with central and peripheral alpha ()-adrenergic properties. Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD Tetrahydrozoline can be absorbed through your gastrointestinal tract into your main blood circulation much more readily and then travel to your heart and central nervous system. Murdaugh is heckled as he leaves court, Ukrainian soldier takes out five tanks with Javelin missiles, Isabel Oakeshott receives 'menacing' message from Matt Hancock, Alex Murdaugh unanimously found GUILTY of murder of wife and son, Isabel Oakeshott clashes with Nick Robinson over Hancock texts, Family of a 10-month-old baby filmed vaping open up, Missing hiker buried under snow forces arm out to wave to helicopter, Moment teenager crashes into back of lorry after 100mph police race. Eyedrops and nasal decongestant sprays often contain ingredients intended to reduce eye redness and nasal stuffiness. Always use eyedrops and decongestant sprays according to the package label; never drink these products. Tetrahydrozoline poisoning Tetrahydrozoline is a form of a medicine called imidazoline, which is found in over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays. Pl drop the argument as it. In: Burns MM, ed. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. When any ingestion is accompanied by ETOH (ethyl alcohol), it increases the toxicity level by approx 50%. Last month the American Academy of Ophthalmology used the Clayton case to point out the potential dangers in the misuse of the blood vessel constrictors. 1 August 1998 (p. 373). Dont do what the Owen Wilson character did in the movie Wedding Crashers. Products like Visine contain tetrahydrozoline HCI, according to http://Healthguidance.org, and this substance is known to cause diarrhea, nausea, severe breathing difficulty, respiratory failure, tremors, blurred vision, seizures, coma and even death.