Hydromorphone overdose


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Alternative Names

Dilaudid overdose; Palladone overdose


Home Treatment

This can be a serious overdose. Seek immediate medical help.


Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

  • Patient's age, weight, and condition
  • Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
  • Time it was swallowed
  • Amount swallowed
  • If the medication was prescribed for the patient

Poison Control, or a local emergency number

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.



This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the U.S. use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.


What to expect at the emergency room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

The patient may receive:

  • Medicine (narcotic antagonist) to reverse the effect of the hydromorphone
  • Medicines to treat symptoms
  • Activated charcoal
  • A nasogastric (NG) tube thru the nose into the stomach to empty the stomach (gastric lavage)   
  • Artificial respiration

Expectations (prognosis)

Patients who quickly receive medicine to reverse the effect of hydromorphone can recover within 1 to 4 hours.



Review Date: 03/19/2006
Reviewed By: Janeen R. Azare, PhD, MSPH, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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