[Acute chloroquine poisoning]

Acute chloroquine intoxication is responsible for grave cardiovascular disturbances which may be rapidly life-threatening. For this reason, any suspicion of acute chloroquine intoxication requires hospitalisation in an intensive care unit for a minimum of 12 hours. Cardiovascular toxicity is linked to a potent membrane-stabilizing effect, which is also responsible for transfer-dependent hypokalemia, the degree of which is directly associated with the gravity of the intoxication. Blood chloroquine concentration confirms the intoxication and is likewise closely correlated to gravity. Treatment of this intoxication, based on vascular repletion, adrenalin, assisted ventilation and diazepam has markedly improved the prognosis of these intoxications, overall mortality for all degrees of intoxication nonetheless remains to the order of 10%.