Taking too much blood pressure medicine (or taking it when it isn't needed) can cause serious health problems. The health care team checked your child for any problems and treated them, if needed. Your child is now ready to go home. This is a good time to review how to store and give medicines safely.

Home Care

• Ask your health care provider how long you need to watch for symptoms of an overdose such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, confusion, or seizures (uncontrolled jerking body motions). Some long-acting blood pressure medicines can cause problems later.
• Your child can eat a regular diet.

Preventing Medicine Overdose

• Give medicines safely:
  • Follow the package directions for how much medicine to give and how often.
  • If the medicine comes with a dropper or cup, use that to give the medicine.
  • Write down or record on your phone the name and dosage of the medicine and the time you gave it.
  • If you give more than one medicine, be sure they don't contain the same ingredients.
  • Don't call medicine "candy" when trying to get your child to take it.
• Store medicines safely:
  • Keep all medicines (even those you can buy without a prescription) in a locked cabinet, out of the reach of children. 
  • Put medicines away after giving a dose.
  • Keep purses and handbags that might contain medicines away from kids.
  • Make sure the lids to all medicines are tightly closed.
  • Always keep medicines in their original containers.
  • Keep track of how much medicine is left in a bottle. You can write the date on the label and the number of pills or draw a line at the level of liquid medicine.
  • Know about the medicines you have in your home. Get rid of those you no longer need. If you're not sure how to get rid of medicines, talk to your health care provider or visit fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/where-and-how-dispose-unused-medicines.

Your child has:

• nausea or vomiting
• dizziness

You know your child best. If they have symptoms that worry you, call your health care provider right away.

Your child:

• seems clumsy
• is very sleepy

Call 911 if your child is confused, can't be woken, or has a seizure (uncontrolled jerking body movements).

What problems can too much blood pressure medicine cause? Different types of blood pressure medicines can cause different problems, such as nausea and vomiting, dizziness, tiredness, confusion, or seizures. A very large amount can cause breathing and heart problems, coma, and even death. 

How can a child get too much blood pressure medicine? This usually happens when a young child finds the medicine (for example, on a counter or in someone's purse) and takes it out of curiosity. Less often, a child is on blood pressure medicine and accidentally takes too much.

What should I do if I think my child got too much of any medicine? Call Poison Control right away for advice (800-222-1222). Keep the number posted in your home (for example, on the refrigerator) and put it in your phone contacts.