Drug Interaction:
Interacting drugs- summary
Activated Charcoal cab absorb drugs while they are in the GI tract. Therefore take charcoal 2 hours before or 1 hour after medication
Charcoal +
Acetaminophen
charcoal can reduce absorption of these drugs and actually remove them
Barbiturates
from systemic circulation which may reduce effectiveness of a given agent.
Carbamazepine
Charcoal is also used as an antidote for overdoses.
Syrup of Ipecac-
Do not administer concomittantly. activated charcoal will absorb and inactivate this agent Effectiveness of other medication will be decreased when used concurrently because of adsorption by the activated charcoal
Drug/Food interactions- Do not mix charcoal with milk, ice cream, or sherbet since it will decrease the absorptive capacity of the activated charcoal.
Contra-Indications:
Ineffective for poisoning or overdose of mineral acids and alkalies. Not efffective in poisoning of ethanol, methanol, and iron salts.
Special precautions: Warnings-
Diarrhea- if diarrhea persists for > 2 days or is accompanied by fever, consult physician
Emesis- induce emesis before giving activated charcoal.After ipecac-induced vomiting the patient may be intolerant of activated charcoal for 1 to 2 hours.
Gastric lavage- activated charcoal can be administered in the early stages of gastric lavage. Use activated charcoal without sorbitol. The gastric lavage returns will be black. High dosage or prolonged use does not cause side effects or harm to patients nutritional state
Children- Do not use in children < 3 years of age.
Patient Information:
Charcoal activated- Oral
1.Allergies-
Tell your doctor if you are have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to
activated charcoal. Also tell your healthcare care professional if you are
allergic to any other substances such as foods. preservatives or dyes.
2. Diet-
Make sure that you are on any special diet, such as low-sodium or low-sugar,
or any other special diet. Most medicines contain more than their active
ingredient
3.Pregnancy-
Activated charcoal has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in
nursing babies.
4. Breast-feeding-
Activated charcoal has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in
humans
5.Children-
In babies and children under 3 years of age, activated charcoal should not be used
regularly to relieve diarrhea and gas, since it affect the childs nutrition. Also the
fluid loss caused by diarrhea may result in a severe condition. For this reason,
a medicine for diarrhea must not be given without first checking with their doctor.
If a medicine for diarrhea is used , it is also very important that a sufficient amount
of liquids be given to replace the fluid lost by the body. If you have any questions,
about this, check with your doctor
6.Older adults-
Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore,
it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way than they do in
younger adults, or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people.
There is no specific information comparing use of activated charcoal in the elderly
this medicine is not cause different side effects or problems in older people than it
does in younger adults.
However, the fluid loss caused by diarrhea may result in severe condition. For this
reason, elderly persons with diarrhea, in addition to using a medicine for diarrhea
must receive a sufficient amount of liquids to replace the fluid lost by the body.
7. Other medicines-
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two
different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur.
In such cases your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions
may be necessary.
Tell your doctor if you are using any other prescription or non-prescription
(Over-the counter) OTC medicine.
8. Other medical problems-
The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of activated
charcoal to relieve diarrhea. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have
any other medical problems especially-
Dysentry- this condition may get worse, a different kind of treatment may
be needed.
Manufacturer Details