A-Textbook-of-Clinical-Pharmacology-and-Therapeutics-5th-edition
A-Textbook-of-Clinical-Pharmacology-and-Therapeutics-5th-edition
A-Textbook-of-Clinical-Pharmacology-and-Therapeutics-5th-edition
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450 DRUG OVERDOSE AND POISONING<br />
Case history<br />
A 21-year-old student is brought into your Accident <strong>and</strong><br />
Emergency Department having been at a party with his girlfriend.<br />
She reports that he drank two non-alcoholic drinks,<br />
but had also taken ‘some tablets’ that he had been given by<br />
a stranger at the party. Within about one hour he started<br />
to act oddly, becoming uncoordinated, belligerent <strong>and</strong><br />
incoherent. When you examine him, he is semi-conscious,<br />
responding to verbal comm<strong>and</strong>s intermittently. During the<br />
period when you are interviewing/examining him, he suddenly<br />
sustains a non-remitting gr<strong>and</strong>-mal seizure.<br />
Question 1<br />
What are the agents he is most likely to have taken<br />
Question 2<br />
How would you treat him<br />
Answer 1<br />
The most likely agents that could have caused an altered<br />
mental status <strong>and</strong> then led to seizures are:<br />
• sympathomimetics (e.g. amphetamines, cocaine,<br />
MDMA);<br />
• hallucinogens: LSD, phencyclidine (PCP) – (latter<br />
unusual in the UK).<br />
• tricyclic antidepressants;<br />
• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors.<br />
Much less likely causes are:<br />
• antihistamines (especially first-generation<br />
antihistamines in high dose; these are available over<br />
the counter);<br />
• theophylline;<br />
• ethanol <strong>and</strong> ethylene glycol can also do this, but are<br />
unlikely in this case, because <strong>of</strong> the patient’s<br />
girlfriend’s account <strong>of</strong> events.<br />
Answer 2<br />
This patient should be treated as follows:<br />
1. Ensure a clear airway with adequate oxygenation –<br />
avoid aspiration.<br />
2. Ensure that other vital functions are adequate.<br />
3. Prevent him from injuring himself (e.g. by falls (<strong>of</strong>f a<br />
trolley) or flailing limbs).<br />
4. Give therapy to stop the epileptic fit:<br />
diazepam, 10 mg i.v. <strong>and</strong> repeat if necessary;<br />
if the patient is refractory to this, consider thiopental<br />
anaesthesia <strong>and</strong> ventilation.<br />
5. Monitor the patient closely, including ECG, <strong>and</strong><br />
observe for respiratory depression <strong>and</strong> further seizures.<br />
Attempt to define more clearly which agent he<br />
ingested to allow further appropriate toxicological<br />
management.<br />
The history from his girlfriend, also a heroin addict, is that<br />
he was released from prison one week earlier <strong>and</strong> they<br />
moved into an old Victorian flat. They had tried to stay <strong>of</strong>f<br />
heroin for one week (he had obtained a limited supply<br />
while in prison), but both had experienced headaches, nausea,<br />
vomiting, stomach cramps, tremor <strong>and</strong> diarrhoea.<br />
The patient had told his girlfriend that he had to have<br />
some heroin. She left the flat for six hours to pick up her<br />
unemployment benefit, <strong>and</strong> returned home to find him<br />
prostrate on the floor with a syringe <strong>and</strong> needle beside<br />
him. She called an ambulance <strong>and</strong> attempted to resuscitate<br />
him with CPR <strong>and</strong> an amphetamine.<br />
Question<br />
Name two possible causes <strong>of</strong> death.<br />
Answer<br />
Carbon monoxide poisoning <strong>and</strong> heroin overdose.<br />
Comment<br />
Some <strong>of</strong> this patient’s symptoms are not typical <strong>of</strong> heroin<br />
withdrawal, but are characteristics <strong>of</strong> carbon monoxide<br />
poisoning. His flatmate should be examined neurologically,<br />
a sample taken for carboxyhaemoglobin <strong>and</strong> the flat<br />
inspected. Oxygen is the antidote to carbon monoxide poisoning,<br />
<strong>and</strong> naloxone is the antidote to heroin poisoning.<br />
FURTHER READING<br />
Afshari R, Good AM, Maxwell SRJ. Co-proxamol overdose is associated<br />
with a 10-fold excess mortality compared with other paracetamol<br />
combination analgesics. British Journal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clinical</strong><br />
<strong>Pharmacology</strong> 2005; 60: 444–7.<br />
Bateman DN, Gorman DR, Bain M. Legislation restricting paracetamol<br />
sales <strong>and</strong> patterns <strong>of</strong> self-harm <strong>and</strong> death from paracetamolcontaining<br />
preparations in Scotl<strong>and</strong>. British Journal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clinical</strong><br />
<strong>Pharmacology</strong> 2006; 62: 573–81.<br />
Friberg LE, Isbister GK, Duffull SB. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic<br />
modelling <strong>of</strong> QT interval prolongation following citalopram<br />
overdoses British Journal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clinical</strong> <strong>Pharmacology</strong> 2006; 61:<br />
177–90.<br />
Hawton K, Simkin S, Gunnell D. A multicentre study <strong>of</strong> coproxamol<br />
poisoning suicides based on coroners’ records in Engl<strong>and</strong>. British<br />
Journal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clinical</strong> <strong>Pharmacology</strong> 2005; 59: 207–12.<br />
Jones AL, Dargan PI. Churchill’s pocket book <strong>of</strong> toxicology. London:<br />
Churchill Livingstone, 2001.<br />
Jones AL, Volans G. Management <strong>of</strong> self-poisoning. British Medical<br />
Journal 1999; 319: 1414–7.<br />
Pakravan N, Mitchell AJ, Goddard J. Effect <strong>of</strong> acute paracetamol overdose<br />
on changes in serum electrolytes. British Journal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clinical</strong><br />
<strong>Pharmacology</strong> 2005; 59: 650.<br />
Stass H, Kubitza D, Moller JG. Influence <strong>of</strong> activated charcoal on the<br />
pharmacokinetics <strong>of</strong> moxifloxacin following intravenous <strong>and</strong> oral<br />
administration <strong>of</strong> a 400 mg single dose to healthy males. British<br />
Journal <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clinical</strong> <strong>Pharmacology</strong> 2005; 59: 536–41.<br />
Case history<br />
A 20-year-old known heroin addict who is HIV-, hepatitis C-<br />
<strong>and</strong> hepatitis B-positive is brought to the Accident <strong>and</strong><br />
Emergency Department. It is winter <strong>and</strong> there is a major flu<br />
epidemic in the area. He is certified dead on arrival.<br />
Many old venepuncture sites <strong>and</strong> one recent one are visible<br />
on his arms. He does not appear cyanosed.