Implementation

• Treatment of Poisoning: Activated charcoal is most effective if administered within 30 min of ingestion of drug or poison. Dosage may be repeated for drugs subjected to enterohepatic elimination to minimize further absorption

» If syrup of ipecac is used, administer ipecac first and wait until emesis occurs before administering activated charcoal

• PO: Mix dose in 6–8 oz water; administer as a slurry (unless using suspension with or without sorbitol). Do not administer with milk products (milk, ice cream, or sherbet). May need to be diluted with additional water to be thin enough to administer through a nasogastric tube

» Shake oral suspension well before administration

» Rapid ingestion may cause vomiting. If vomiting occurs shortly after administering dose, confer with physician about repeating dose

» Do not administer other oral drugs for 2 hr before or after administering activated charcoal

» Slurry is constipating; physician may order a laxative to speed removal of the drug. May not be required with products containing sorbitol

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