Health Encyclopedia

Drain cleaners

Definition

This article discusses poisoning from swallowing or breathing in drain cleaner.

Poisonous Ingredient

Sodium hydroxide

Where Found

Some drain cleaners
Some aquarium products

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

Abdominal pain (severe)
Breathing difficulty due to throat swelling
Collapse
Diarrhea
Mouth pain (severe)
Rapid drop in blood pressure
Throat pain(severe)
Severe burns and tissue damage
Vomiting

Home Treatment

Seek immediate medical help. DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional.

If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed otherwise by a health care provider. DO NOT give water or milk if the patient is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.

DO NOT give vinegar or lemon juice, as this may cause more severe burning.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

The patient's age, weight, and condition
The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
The time it was swallowed
The amount swallowed

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:

Fluids by IV
Medicines to treat symptoms
Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
Oxygen

Expectations (prognosis)

How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage continues to occur in the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the drain cleaner was swallowed.

Death may occur as long as a month after the drain cleaner was swallowed.

References

Ford MD, Clinical Toxicology. 1st ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2001:256.

Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2006:2380-2381.

Review Date:1/17/2007
Reviewed By:Eric Perez, MD, Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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