Final answer:
Signs of cholinergic overdose include excessive salivation, muscle weakness, pinpoint pupils, respiratory distress, and in severe cases, seizures, unconsciousness, and risk of death due to respiratory failure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common signs one would expect to see with someone who has overdosed on cholinergics are excessive salivation and muscle weakness. Other symptoms of cholinergic overdose include miosis (pinpoint pupils), blurred vision, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, muscle fasciculations, and respiratory depression. These symptoms are due to an overstimulation of the parasympathetic nervous system, as cholinergics increase activity at postganglionic terminals where muscarinic receptors are located. In severe cases, such as poisoning by a nerve agent, the individual can experience seizures, unconsciousness, involuntary urination and defecation, with the risk of death by asphyxiation or cardiac arrest due to the loss of control over respiratory and other muscles.