According to figures provided in an email by the American Association of Poison Control Centers, there were no reported deaths from tetrahydrozoline from 2016 through 2019. In the South Carolina case, the traces of tetrahydrozoline were found in Mr. Claytons body during the autopsy, the warrant said. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. In general, be careful about using such eye drops, even if they go where they are supposed to go. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. Tetrahydrozoline poisoning occurs when someone accidentally or intentionally swallows this product. We report a case of unintentional . Dont crash weddings to hook up with strangers. A North Carolina paramedic allegedly murdered his wife by poisoning her with Visine. But most importantly dont put Visine eye drops in someones drink. A 19-year-old Wyoming woman accused of poisoning her stepmother with eye drops has pleaded no contest to an aggravated assault charge. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:793. Symptoms Symptoms may include: Altered mental state Coma (lack of responsiveness) Difficulty breathing or no breathing Blurred vision Blue lips and fingernails Changes in blood pressure (high at first, low later) Change in pupil size Fast or slow heartbeat Headache Irritability Low body temperature Nausea and vomiting Nervousness, tremors Seizures WRIC-TV [Richmond]. That can be like taking ibuprofen for pain caused by a harpoon stuck in you without first saying, maybe, I should do something about this harpoon stuck in me.. 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. There is no antidote for tetryzoline or other similar imidazoline analogue poisoning, but the symptoms can be alleviated and with treatment, death is rare . Next got in a car accident and died. or. 16th ed. Most recently, a California man was arrested a week ago and charged with trying to poison his girlfriend by lacing her drinks with the eye drops. You could kill the person. Dont say wow so often. I felt awful," she told Inside Edition. 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. The danger is real, and parents are well advised to keep eye drops away from children. Eye drops like Visine, Murine Plus,and Clarine are marketed as ways for you to get the red out of your eyes. In our patient there was an initial hypertension and bradycardia, followed by a persistent orthostatic hypotension. Tetrahydrozoline is sold under the following brand names: Note: This list may not be all inclusive. Before we move further to the symptoms of poisoning and analyze the tests required for its treatment, it's essential to understand the causes and risk factors that can lead to poisoning. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. Co-located with the Shands Jacksonville Hospital, the Jacksonville Health Science Center excels in education, research and patient care that expresses our abiding values of compassion, excellence, professionalism and innovation. "Pa. Woman Gets 2-4 Years for Poisoning Man with Visine." Such imaginings give us the chance to vicariously experience the joys of retribution, joys we're not likely to sample in real life, such as the following: I've heard that barmaids and cocktail waitresses have a secret for getting rid of obnoxious customers. More than 1,600 cases of oral exposures are reported to United States poison centers annually (1,2). Ingesting this substance can lead to a variety of harmful side effects such as dramatically lowering body temperature, causing severe breathing difficulty, respiratory failure, blurred vision, nausea, vomiting, blood pressure fluctuation, tremors, seizures and even coma. 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. The signs and symptoms of Tetrahydrozoline Poisoning may include: Headaches Reduced body temperature Nausea, vomiting Diarrhea Heartburn Bleeding in the stomach, stomach pain Breathing difficulties; absence of breathing Rapid heartbeat Irritability and increased nervousness Vision abnormalities including blurred vision; dilated pupils 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. This would not be a good prank. segment described, he allegedly used Visine eye drops to poison and eventually kill his wife, 32-year-old Stacy Robinson Hunsucker: during New Line Cinema Premiere of "Wedding Crashers" at Ziegfeld Theatre in New York, New York, United States. This article is for information only. "Woman Accused of Trying to Kill Husband." A., & Brown, J. T. (2014). If swallowed,the medication can cause illness and even death. Yet if Visine doesn't cause diarrhea, it has done things far more terrible. The College of Public Health & Health Professions (PHHP) is dedicated to providing excellent educational programs that prepare graduates to address the multifaceted health needs of populations, communities and individuals. But most importantly dont put Visine eye drops in someones drink. Symptoms Symptoms may include: Altered mental state Coma (lack of responsiveness) Difficulty breathing or no breathing Blurred vision Blue lips and fingernails Changes in blood pressure (high at first, low later) Change in pupil size Fast or slow heartbeat Headache Irritability Low body temperature Nausea and vomiting Nervousness, tremors Seizures Tetryzoline. Then, they were forced to leave a bar by the person who posioned them. There are approximately 130 cases of tetrahydrozoline exposure reported each year to the online poison control toolwebPOISONCONTROL. Included in the symptoms are vomiting, blurred vision, rapid heartbeat, and difficulty breathing. She admitted to doing this deliberately and surreptitiously. This is not an all-inclusive list. Swallowing this substance can result in a number of nasty effects, including: Pfizer's cautions to users of Visine include: "If swallowed, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away." All Rights Reserved. Pictured here are boxes of Visine, over-the-counter eye drops produced by Johnson & Johnson. Many of these types of OTC products do not have child-resistant closures, so they should be stored out of the reach of children. The active ingredient in Visine eye drops is Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05%. A few drops of Visine brand eye drops taken internally will induce uncontrollable diarrhea. Examples of brands that may contain tetrahydrozoline or related compounds include Visine, Clear Eyes, and Murine. The following is a list of over-the-counter medications, household products, foods, and other items that may be potentially toxic to a pet. Journal of forensic sciences, 57(3), 835-838. Editorial team. The University of Florida Academic Health Center - the most comprehensive academic health center in the Southeast - is dedicated to high-quality programs of education, research, patient care and public service. WPVI-TV [Philadelphia]. Apparently, her death had a sweetheart of an insurance pay-out: $250,000. Givens, Ann. 52, No. In addition to death, ingesting tetrahydrozoline can cause "drowsiness, slow breathing or absence of breathing, slow heartbeat, hypothermia and possibly even coma." After his wife's death,. The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Seek medical help right away. COMMON BRAND NAME (S): Eye Drops, Geneye, Opti-Clear, Redness Reliever, Visine, Visine Red Eye Comfort. "Woman Ordered to Pay Poisoned Roommate's Hospital Bill." Swallowing this substance can result in a number of nasty effects, including: Coma Difficulty breathing or no breathing Blurred vision, change in pupil size Blue lips and fingernails Fast or slow heartbeat, changes in blood pressure (high at first, low later) Headache Tetra-hi what? Its a different story if eye drops go down your mouth. UPDATE (1/22/2020): Johnson & Johnson has provided the following statement about the cases: Were deeply saddened to learn of this news and are devastated that anyone would use our product for such an abhorrent act. They will give you further instructions. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. One drop can be beneficial, one swig can be deadly: tetrahydrozoline intoxication. 10 October 2003 (Orange County Edition; p. B3). Aronson JK. 1 August 1998 (p. 373). That's when detectives told Kurczewski about the tetrahydrozoline the . In 1996, a two-year-old child who ingested at most 2 to 3 mL of Visine eye drops became dangerously lethargic and unresponsive to every stimulus except deep pain. On Friday, Barry Smith, spokesman for the department, said that Ms. Hunsucker was an organ donor and that, although she died in 2018, samples of her blood were tested after the case was referred to the department.