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Updated: Aug 14, 2026

Disrupting Reconsolidation of Fear Memory in Humans by a Noradrenergic β-Blocker
Published on: December 18, 2014
[Accidental administration of 50 mg racemic adrenaline to a 2-year-old boy]
T Dybvik1, P Halvorsen, P A Steen
1Anestesiavdelingen Klinikk for akuttmedisin Ullevål sykehus.
Abstract:
A two-year-old boy received by mistake 50 mg racemic adrenaline intravenously, corresponding to 1.8 mg kg-1 of L-adrenaline. Blood pressure increased to 160/105 mm Hg, heart rate to 160 beats min-1 and pulmonary oedema developed over the next two hours. He was treated with nitroprusside, nitroglycerine and digitoxin, and was intubated and ventilated. After three hours a hypotensive phase occurred, probably due to down-regulation of the beta- and alpha-adrenoceptors. This recessitated infusions of very high concentrations of catecholamines for 72 hours. Renal failure recessitated renal transplantation, after which the child made an uneventful recovery.
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