[How I treat … severe beta-blocker poisoning : pharmacological approaches and ECMO]

We report the case of a woman with severe beta-blocker poisoning who, after failure of pharmacological therapy, was supported with an ECMO (ExtraCorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) device. We discuss conventional pharmacological treatments and other approaches that have emerged over the past decade such as high dose insulin therapy and lipid emulsions. Major advance has been achieved in the field of ECMO devices and their management. ECMO is now the first line device for refractory acute cardiac and/or pulmonary failure. Finally, we review the role of veno-arterial ECMO in cardiodepressive drug poisoning.