From the Guidelines
Excessive nicotine intake in one sitting can lead to severe nicotine poisoning, causing symptoms such as weakness, headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, abdominal cramps, breathing difficulty, pallor, diarrhea, chills, fluctuations in blood pressure or heart rate, seizures, and increased perspiration and excessive salivation. These complications can arise rapidly, highlighting the importance of prompt medical attention if suspected. According to a study published in Pediatrics in 2015 1, symptoms of nicotine poisoning can be severe and include a range of systemic effects. Key complications include:
- Cardiovascular issues, such as fluctuations in blood pressure or heart rate
- Neurological effects, including seizures and potentially life-threatening respiratory depression
- Gastrointestinal symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea
- Other systemic effects, such as increased perspiration, excessive salivation, and chills. It is crucial to recognize that the severity of these complications can vary based on the amount of nicotine consumed and individual tolerance, with children being particularly vulnerable to the toxic effects of nicotine due to their smaller body size and developing physiology, as evidenced by reports of green tobacco sickness in children under 17 years old 1. Treatment for nicotine poisoning typically involves supportive care and may require hospitalization in severe cases to manage potential life-threatening complications.
From the FDA Drug Label
Stop use and ask a doctor if ... you get symptoms of nicotine overdose such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, weakness, and rapid heartbeat The complications of excessive nicotine intake in one sitting are:
- Nicotine overdose symptoms, including:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- Rapid heartbeat 2
From the Research
Complications of Excessive Nicotine Intake
- There are no direct research papers to assist in answering this question, as the provided studies focus on smoking cessation and nicotine dependence treatment rather than the complications of excessive nicotine intake in one sitting.
- However, it can be inferred that excessive nicotine intake may lead to nicotine poisoning, which can cause various symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and headaches 3.
- Activated charcoal may be used to treat nicotine poisoning, but its effectiveness depends on the timing of administration, with better outcomes when given within one hour of ingestion 3.
- The provided studies discuss the pharmacological treatment of nicotine dependence, including nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline 4, 5, 6, 7, but do not address the specific topic of complications from excessive nicotine intake in one sitting.