title: Activated charcoal in tricyclic antidepressant poisoning: pilot controlled clinical trial.
abstract: 1 A randomised clinical trial was carried out to assess the effects of activated charcoal in the management of suspected tricyclic antidepressant poisoning. 2 Forty-eight patients entered the study, twenty receiving supportive care plus activated charcoal (10 g) and twenty-eight supportive care alone. 3 Drug screening showed that only seventeen patients had taken tricyclic antidepressants alone. 4 Activated charcoal had no effect on either the rate of lightening of coma or the fall in plasma antidepressant concentration in the 'pure' tricyclic antidepressant poisoning group. 5 No serious side-effects of activated charcoal were reported.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003128:Coma / Q000139:chemically induced; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D002606:Charcoal