How to Treat Caffeine Poisoning

Caffeine is a stimulant found in coffee, tea and may soft drinks. Unlike most psychoactive substances, it is widely consumed and unregulated in virtually all jurisdictions. Sudden caffeine withdrawal can cause drowsiness, headaches, irritability, nausea and vomiting. The following steps will help you identify and treat a case of caffeine poisoning.

Instructions

• 1

  Know the symptoms. Large doses of caffeine can cause an increase in anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping, excessive urination, heart rate, nausea, restlessness and vomiting. It may also decrease your levels of calcium, iron and potassium.

• 2

  Consider the signs of caffeine intoxication. This usually includes the recent consumption of at least 250 mg, accompanied by some of the following: anorexia, confusion, diuresis, excitement, nausea, rapid heart rate, tremors and vomiting.

• 3

  Test for chronic abuse of caffeine. A theophylline level of 1 to 10 mg/L is common in coffee drinkers, but 80 mg/L can be fatal.

• 4

  Seek support treatment in a hospital for caffeine poisoning. Maintain the airway and provide ventilation. Treat any seizures and hypotension that occurs, and monitor the vital signs.

• 5

  Perform gastric decontamination by lavage or induced vomiting if the caffeine overdose was recent. Activated charcoal also may be administered. Death from coffee is extremely difficult as the fatal dosage is equivalent to 40 cups consumed in a short period of time.