title: [Chronic bromide intoxication caused by bromide-containing combination drugs].
abstract: A 49-year-old woman who had noted increasing fatigue and found it difficult to concentrate became confused and uncoordinated with rapid speech. Anxious and suffering from insomnia she had for 6 weeks taken a prescription-free bromide-containing drug mixture (daily 0.09 g potassium bromide and 1.8 g sodium bromide), to a total bromide intake of 60 g. The admission diagnosis of chronic bromism was confirmed by a markedly increased serum bromide concentration (325 mg/l). Once she had stopped taking the drug and had increased her salt intake she became symptom-free within 8 days. The case demonstrates that, while chronic bromism has become rare, it should still be included in the differential diagnosis, even after intake of supposedly harmless medication.
authors.affiliation: Neurologische Klinik, Klinikum Grosshadern, Universität München.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Steinhoff
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Paulus
mesh_terms: D001965:Bromides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000506:poisoning*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis; D011188:Potassium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D012964:Sodium / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017670:Sodium Compounds
chemical_list: D001965:Bromides; D004338:Drug Combinations; D017680:Potassium Compounds; D017670:Sodium Compounds; D012964:Sodium; C027938:sodium bromide; C039004:potassium bromide; D011188:Potassium
vernacular_title: Chronische Bromintoxikation durch bromidhaltige Kombinationspräparate.