Emergency department evaluation of a patient with a potential overdose is comprised of three components:
Identify and treat potentially life-threatening toxicologic conditions from the potential overdose.
Determine if the potential overdose was intentional and, if so, determine if the overdose was recreational or a result of a suicide attempt.
Determine the patient’s clinical sobriety.
Overdoses involving most substances require supportive treatment only and a period of observation of 4 to 6 hours after the time of ingestion depending on substances ingested. For a select few substances, an antidote exists and would be administered if indicated. If the patient is asymptomatic after a period of sufficient observation, then the likelihood of life-threatening consequences of the potential overdose is remote.
Emergency Department Overdoses medical expert witness specialties include emergency medicine, emergency nursing, EMT, toxicology, and forensic pathology.