[Changes of blood urea in drug poisoning]

A significant fall in blood urea nitrogen (BUN) was noted before gastric lavage and before renal excretion was increased by forced diuresis in 103 patients treated in an intensive care unit for self-poisoning with psychoactive drugs. The pathogenesis of changes in BUN during acute intoxication with benzodiazepines, phenothiazines and barbiturates is obscure, but they do not seem to be associated with accelerated renal excretion, hepatic failure or enzyme induction.