[Chloral hydrate poisoning].
The intentional ingestion of 5 g of chloral hydrate by a 67-yr-old man resulted in cardiac arrhythmia including tachyarrhythmia and polymorphic ventricular extrasystoles. As the ingested agent was unknown at admission, the patient was treated among others with sodium lactate, a non validated therapy of arrhythmia caused by chloral hydrate overdose. The discontinuation of arrhythmia was in favour of a beneficial effect of this treatment which remains to be confirmed. This unusual therapy is the original point of this case report which allows to question the so-called innocuousness of chloral hydrate, to remind the conventional treatment of the arrhythmias caused by this agent, the place of beta-adrenergic blockers, as well as the therapeutic difficulties when the causative agent remains unknown.
Fetu
D
D
Service d'Anesthésie-Réanimation, Centre Hospitalier, Pontivy.
Carel
N
N
Fossier
T
T
Motreff
C
C
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002697:Chloral Hydrate / Q000506:poisoning*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D007773:Lactates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D002697:Chloral Hydrate
Intoxication à l'hydrate de chloral.