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Calcium Channel Blocker Overdose With Cardiogenic Shock
1Intensive Care Unit, Scunthorpe General Hospital, Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust, Scunthorpe, GBR.
Insights
Severe calcium channel blocker (CCB) overdose can cause life-threatening shock and bradycardia. Management requires complex, multimodal therapies to address refractory hypotension and metabolic disturbances.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Toxicology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are widely prescribed medications.
- Overdose of CCBs presents a rare but serious clinical challenge.
- CCB toxicity can lead to profound bradycardia, shock, and metabolic disturbances.
Abstract:
Calcium channel blocker (CCB) overdose is a rare but potentially life-threatening presentation associated with profound bradycardia, shock, and metabolic disturbances. Management can be complex, often requiring advanced hemodynamic support and multimodal therapies. We report a case of severe CCB intoxication leading to refractory hypotension, illustrating the challenges encountered in critical care management. Current approaches involve multimodal pharmacological interventions, including high-dose insulin euglycemic therapy, IV calcium, glucagon, and lipid rescue. CCBs have widespread use; therefore, understanding the consequences of overdose is clinically important.
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