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Abstract
[...]of concern is accidental ingestion by children, as well as excess ingestion by those seeking to self-harm, as many DXM-containing products are readily available in homes to treat minor coughs. Because of the variability in dosing between different formulations, administration of incorrect doses of the drug to both adults and children is an issue confronted by emergency department (ED) physicians when encountering patients concerned with a possible overdose. Poor outcomes were related to both DXM and the presence of coingestants commonly found in OTC cough and cold products, and included anticholinergic toxicity, respiratory depression, serotonin syndrome, toxic encephalopathy and acetaminophen toxicity. At high doses DXM can exert mixed clinical psychoactive effects which play a role in its non-medical abuse, eliciting both euphoria and dysphoria, loss of motor coordination, distorted visual perceptions, dissociation, sedation, nausea, and vomiting (Table 1).