People who have had severe allergic reactions, who have serious medical problems, or who are taking high-risk drugs should wear a Medic Alert necklace or bracelet. A lower risk of overdose toxicity is often the reason doctors prefer one drug to another when both drugs are equally effective. For example, if a sedative, antianxiety drug, or sleep aid is needed, doctors usually prescribe benzodiazepines such as diazepam and triazolam rather than barbiturates such as pentobarbital. Benzodiazepines are not more effective than barbiturates, but they have a wider margin of safety and are much less likely to cause severe toxicity in case of an accidental or intentional overdosage. Safety is also the reason why newer antidepressants such as fluoxetine and paroxetine have largely replaced older but equally effective antidepressants such as imipramine and amitriptyline.
Young children are at high risk of overdose toxicity.
Most of the brightly colored tablets and capsules that attract the attention of toddlers and young children are adult-dose formulations. Federal regulations require that all oral prescription drugs in the United States be dispensed in childproof containers unless a person signs a waiver to the effect that such a container presents a handicap. Most metropolitan areas in the United States provide information services on chemical and drug poisoning, and most telephone directories list the number of the local Poison Control Center. This number should be copied and placed near a telephone or programmed into an automatic dialing telephone. All rights reserved.