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Zolpidem Overdose: A Medical and Ethical Dilemma
Waqas Shuaib1, Cristina Beatrice, Ahmad G Abazid
1Department of Family Medicine, United Regional Health Care System, Wichita Falls, TX.
Abstract:
Acute altered mental status can be caused by a broad range of etiologies, including cerebrovascular, neurologic, traumatic, metabolic, infectious, psychiatric, medications, etc. We present a case of a 53-year-old healthcare professional with an acute altered mental status after a trip to Africa. The patient was extensively worked up for infectious, cardiovascular, and neurologic etiologies, and all results were within normal limits. Further history revealed an overdose of a self-medicated hypnotic (zolpidem) for insomnia. The patient was conservatively managed and discharged on trazadone for insomnia.
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