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Accidental clonidine patch ingestion in a child

Russ Horowitz1, Suzan S Mazor, Steven E Aks

  • 1Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Children's Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Illinois 60026, USA.

American Journal of Therapeutics
|May 14, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric clonidine patch ingestion caused lethargy, bradycardia, and miosis. Aggressive decontamination, including naloxone and charcoal, is crucial for managing toxicity from gastrointestinal absorption.

Area of Science:

  • Toxicology
  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Clonidine patches are a transdermal drug delivery system.
  • Pediatric ingestion of transdermal patches poses unique toxicological challenges due to prolonged drug absorption.

Observation:

  • A pediatric patient presented with significant toxicity after ingesting a clonidine patch.
  • Clinical manifestations included central nervous system depression (lethargy), cardiovascular effects (bradycardia), and pupillary changes (miosis).

Findings:

  • Gastrointestinal absorption of clonidine from the patch led to severe systemic toxicity.
  • Treatment involved a multi-modal approach including naloxone, activated charcoal, and whole bowel irrigation.

Implications:

  • Prompt recognition and aggressive decontamination are vital for managing clonidine patch ingestion in children.
  • This case highlights the potential for severe toxicity and underscores the importance of targeted treatment strategies.

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