16-year-old hospitalized after consuming four cold medications

A 16-year-old high school student in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, was recently hospitalized in an intensive care unit after consuming four types of cold medications at once in an attempt to alleviate his symptoms of a cold.

The student, surnamed Zhao, self-medicated with both ibuprofen and Quike (Compound Paracetamol and Amantadine Hydrochloride capsule) after experiencing cold-like symptoms, accompanied by a slight fever. However, not experiencing the desired effect, he then proceeded to consume two other types of cold medicines, which landed him in the ICU.

Following the mix-up in medications, Zhao began experiencing symptoms such as anuria and dyspnea. Initially, local health clinics misdiagnosed his condition as "gastroenteritis". However, as there was no improvement to his condition after treatment, Zhao's family transferred him to the First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University, a tertiary hospital in Ningbo.

Upon admission to the hospital, medical professionals determined that Zhao was suffering from acute renal failure and rhabdomyolysis, which are caused by the combined effects of multiple cold medications on the kidneys, according to Gan Yongxiong, a doctor with the hospital.

After receiving five days of intensive treatment in the ICU, Zhao was transferred to the nephrology department for further care. Thankfully, he has now been discharged and his kidney and liver functions have returned to normal.

During this recent time of high incidence of respiratory diseases, doctors emphasize the importance of medication usage and advise against self-medication, especially when it involves combining different medications without proper medical guidance. Patients should carefully read medication instructions and avoid altering the prescribed dosage or mixing various medications without medical supervision.