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Published on: March 31, 2016
Protracted deep coma after bromazepam poisoning
K Lakhal1, S Pallancher, J-C Mathieu-Daude
1Réanimation Polyvalente, Département d'Anesthésie-Réanimation A, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 34000 Montpellier, France. lakhal_karim@yahoo.fr
Background:
Bromazepam intoxication is very common but surprisingly rarely reported.
Case Description:
We describe the case of a 73-year-old woman who suffered from a prolonged coma after acute self poisoning with bromazepam (serum concentration of 2,000 ng/ml at admission, 2 - 10 hours after ingestion of up to 180 mg) and zolpidem (900 ng/ml at admission). Only the former lasted at toxic concentrations. Recovery of consciousness allowed extubation on Day 16. Repeat-dose activated charcoal (25 g every 6 h from Day 14 to 16) resulted in minimal effects on bromazepam grossly estimated kinetics.
Conclusion:
Despite its relatively low theoretic half-life, bromazepam may induce a prolonged life-threatening coma, even in the absence of renal or hepatic failure.
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