[Medford, OR] Mail Tribune. All medications can have side effects. 4 Available since the 1950s, tetryzoline is a selective 1-receptor agonist 5 that is used as an ocular and nasal decongestant. 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. Each of the five "pranksters" pleaded no contest to misdemeanor counts of battery and disorderly conduct and received sentences of. "Visine Prank Leads to Day in Court." She was hospitalized with a multitude of symptoms, but fortunately survived. The UFCOM-J offers accredited graduate medical education residency and fellowship programs, in addition to non-standard fellowship programs. According to police, Unger confessed to poisoning her 3-year-old son by putting Visine in his water bottle and juice bottle (the boy was hospitalized several times but survived) and also causing her 1-year-old son to fall ill when he accidentally consumed the poisoned drinks she had made for his brother. Find patient medical information for tetrahydrozoline ophthalmic (eye) on WebMD including its uses, side effects and safety, interactions, pictures, warnings and user ratings. Oh, and even if the persons eyes are red, dont give him or her more eye drops. In Clinical Toxicology (Vol. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible. Others in the class who saw the act removed the adulterated beverage before the intended victim could drink it. 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. To do their thing, such eye drops should go into your, you guessed it, eyes. Tetrahydrozoline Poisoning can be prevented by: It is important to give your healthcare provider a complete list of prescription and non-prescription medications that are being currently taken. by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images). It matters not if actual harm results from the attempt the act itself is enough to land one in the hoosegow. It may be mild in some and severe in others. A lawyer for Mr. Hunsucker, David Teddy, did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment on Friday. Instruction Courses and Skills Transfer Labs, Program Participant and Faculty Guidelines, LEO Continuing Education Recognition Award, What Practices Are Saying About the Registry, Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS), Subspecialty/Specialized Interest Society Directory, Subspecialty/Specialized Interest Society Meetings, Minority Ophthalmology Mentoring Campaign, Global Programs and Resources for National Societies, Red-Eye Drops: Poisonous to Drink, Safe If Used Correctly, Gotas para los ojos rojos: venenosas para beber, seguras si se usan correctamente. Your eyes may be bigger than your stomach, but these body parts are just not the same. I am a writer, journalist, professor, systems modeler, computational and digital health expert, avocado-eater, and entrepreneur, not always in that order. 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.. 25.1K subscribers Lana Sue Clayton used Visine eye drops to poison her husband, Steven Clayton. The symptoms include, but are. You could kill the person. Accessed June 8, 2021. Automobile fluids. Apparently, her death had a sweetheart of an insurance pay-out: $250,000. While the end result of this prank created a funny and memorable dinner party scene, the poisonous effects of eye drops are much more serious in real life. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. We present a case of tetrahydrozoline ingestion in an adult who presented with chest pain, bradycardia, mental status depression, miosis, and other signs and symptoms of imidazole compound poisoning. Many of these types of OTC products do not have child-resistant closures, so they should be stored out of the reach of children. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. 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 Acetaminophen. 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. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Ranked among the top schools of pharmacy nationally, the college supports research, service and educational programs enhanced with online technologies. This article is for information only. Reza, H.G. By now, most people know that Tylenol (acetaminophen) will KILL cats. If needed, administer mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. The Washington Post. The symptoms of a suspected poisoning may vary depending on the person's age, the type of poisonous substance, the amount of poison involved, and how much time has passed since the poisoning occurred. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. The cause of death was listed as tetrahydrozoline poisoning and classified as a homicide, not suicide or an accident. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. 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. 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. Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. In October 2003, an unnamed Southern California high school student put eye drops in teacher's water bottle in an attempt to give his instructor severe diarrhea. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Tetrahydrozoline or tetryzoline is an alpha agonist (substances that help blood vessel constriction) found in certain eye drops and nasal solutions, It is an over-the-counter medication that is commonly used for children and adults. Symptoms Symptoms may include: Altered mental state Coma (lack of responsiveness) Difficulty breathing or no breathing Blurred vision Blue lips and fingernails We report a case of unintentional . Ms. A typical bottle of eye drops contains anywhere from 15 to 30 milliliters of solution. Exposure is common in young children, who unintentionally ingest it, but cases have been rising in the adult population. A woman in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, was charged with first-degree murder in the poisoning death of a friend, and authorities believe she used eye drops to carry out the crime. Call poison control and get emergency care as soon as possible. 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. When any ingestion is accompanied by ETOH (ethyl alcohol), it increases the toxicity level by approx 50%. Butin real life, the prank is no laughing matter. Help is available online with web POISON CONTROL or by phone at 1-800-222-1222. The student responsible has been charged with tampering with a drink with intent to cause harm. Symptoms of an overdose include drowsiness, slow breathing or absence of breathing, slow heartbeat, hypothermia and possibly even coma, it said. Tetryzoline (also known as tetrahydrozoline) is a drug used in some over-the-counter eye drops and nasal sprays. The clerk responsible for the act was dismissed, and Whole Foods Market settled out of court with Trabanino for an undisclosed sum after he brought a. There are approximately 130 cases of tetrahydrozoline exposure reported each year to the online poison control toolwebPOISONCONTROL. Dog poisoning symptoms include: Vomiting Lethargy Abdominal pain Loss of appetite Excessive salivation Lack of coordination Bloody urine Causes Overdosing of veterinary pills Consumption of human drugs including but not limited to: Antihistamines Sleeping tablets Diet pills Heart pills Blood pressure pills Ibuprofen Acetaminophen Diagnosis A woman is accused of poisoning her husband with over-the-counter eye drops, which led to his death, according to cops. As this ABC News segment described, he allegedly used Visine eye drops to poison and eventually kill his wife, 32-year-old Stacy Robinson Hunsucker: Per the news segment, Hunsucker and his wife had been high school sweethearts. I never thought it would kill him.. In young children, serious adverse events can occur from ingesting only a small amount (1 to 2 mL, or several drops) of tetrahydrozoline. Answered Apr 20, 2022. (Photo [+] by Roberto Machado Noa/LightRocket via Getty Images). This article is for information only. Therefore, if you do have red eyes, dont just use eye drops without first trying to figure out the cause. Visine eye drops are a commonly used topical drug for irritation of the eye. The desire for revenge runs deep in all of us. The person may receive: Survival past 24 hours is usually a good sign that the person will recover. "Woman Charged with Assault by Visine Eye Drops." . Drinking it can (and has) caused severe depression of the central nervous system. If I had an underlying medical condition or if I had gotten a little more of the drug I could have been seriously injured or died.. Young children who consume small amounts of tetrahydrozoline (as little as one-half of one teaspoon) can develop sleepiness and difficulty breathing. An addiction and pain medicine Nondiscrimination and Accessibility Notice, Changes in blood pressure (high at first, low later), The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known), ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing), Fluids through the vein (intravenous or IV). Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:793. October 1996 (Vol. Sure, some causes of red eyes may be relatively benign. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. Over a three-day period in 2018, a woman in South Carolina secretly added enough eye drops to her husbands water for the active ingredient in the medicine to kill him, according to court filings and officials. Most of us don't indulge in this pursuit because we've deemed the cost of getting even too high to justify the benefits gained, yet we revel in thoughts of comeuppances doled out by others. She pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter and was also sentenced to a tampering charge with a 20-year concurrent sentence, the filings show. Rani, M., & Murty, O. P. (2012). Clayton's family released a statement on the allegations against his wife. UpToDate. 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." Together we discover. This is not an all-inclusive list. Most cases of poisoning are not criminal, but accidental by children or petswho find the small bottles of odorless, clear solution. Tetrahydrozoline is sold under the following brand names: Note: This list may not be all inclusive. Lasala, G. S., Vearrier, D., Boroughf, W. J., & Osterhoudt, K. C. (2014, August). For additional information visit Linking to and Using Content from MedlinePlus. North County Gazette. Lana Sue Clayton was sentenced to 25 years in prison after she added eye drops to her husbands drinks in such large amounts that the active chemical killed him, according to the authorities. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Forbes. 2018 Sep 5. 20:09 GMT 22 Mar 2013. Frequent numbness, tingling or a pins-and-needles sensation, usually in the hands. Lee BY. Products containing tetrahydrozoline can interact with many prescription drugs. This is a free and confidential service. Watch out for any symptoms that occur beyond your eyes including a headache, dizziness, anxiety, chest pain, shortness of breath, or irregular heartbeats. Because cats cannot metabolize acetaminophen, it builds up in the blood. You dont want them putting even a few milliliters of the stuff into their mouths. No, she didnt just have bad aim. Always read the label before using any over-the-counter (OTC) product. Further, any substance ingested in a sufficient quantity can likewise be toxic. The cause of death was listed as tetrahydrozoline poisoning and classified as a homicide, not suicide or an accident. Dont say that people use only 10% of their hearts when you reveal only 10% of your true identity. Less than a mother later, the stepmother required medical help for similar symptoms. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. A criminal complaint accuses Jessy R. Kurczewski, 36, of using eye drops to poison her friend Lynn Hernan at her Pewaukee, Wisconsin home. Read More. 9 January 2009. Yin S. Over-the-counter cough and cold preparations: Approach to pediatric poisoning. It should never be ingested for the consequences can even be fatal The amount will vary, even a small amount can be lethal.