Treatment of ciguatera fish poisoning with amitriptyline and nifedipine.
Ciguatera fish poisoning is the most common fish poisoning in the United States. Symptoms involve the gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and neurological systems. No known treatment exists. We explore the therapeutic effect of amitriptyline in two patients and nifedipine in one patient. Amitriptyline demonstrated resolution of most symptoms except for heat/cold reversal in one patient and heat/cold reversal, pruritus and headache in the second patient. We then used nifedipine in the second patient and noted only the resolution of his headaches. We recommend further study of these agents for the treatment of ciguatera fish poisoning.
Department of Medicine, Cook County Hospital, University of Illinois at Chicago.
G M
GM
Calvert
D O
DO
Hryhorczuk
J B
JB
Leikin
D000328:Adult; D000639:Amitriptyline / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D036841:Ciguatera Poisoning; D005260:Female; D005400:Fishes, Poisonous; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000506:poisoning*; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D008387:Marine Toxins; D000639:Amitriptyline; D009543:Nifedipine