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Severe poisoning with sotalol and verapamil. Recovery after 4 h of normothermic CPR followed by extra corporeal heart lung assist
Author(s) -
Rygnestad T.,
Moen S.,
Wahba A.,
Lien S.,
Ingul C. B.,
Schrader H.,
Knapstad S. E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2005.00709.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sotalol , verapamil , anesthesia , rhabdomyolysis , cardiology , calcium , atrial fibrillation
In acute poisoning with beta‐blocking drugs and calcium‐channel blockers patients may present with serious symptoms. We present a case of life‐threatening sotalol and verapamil intoxication in a 29‐year‐old female suffering from depression. She was admitted to our hospital a few hours after she had taken 3.6 g verapamil and 4.8 g sotalol. On being found the patient was breathing and had a palpable pulse. On admission the patient experienced a cardiovascular collapse and CPR was started. Echocardiography confirmed cardiac standstill. After 4 h of normothermic CPR, extra corporeal heart lung assist (ECHLA) was established. Vasoactive drugs could be stopped after 2 days with ECHLA, and after 5 days the patient was extubated. The patient experienced several complications (intestinal bleeding, transient nerve paralysis, and renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis) but made a complete recovery and started working 6 months after the poisoning. She was no longer depressed.