Adverse cardiac manifestations following dextropropoxyphene overdose: can naloxone be helpful?
Dextropropoxyphene overdose may be complicated by serious cardiovascular manifestations, including conduction abnormalities and collapse. We report two patients in whom cardiac toxicity developed. Cardiovascular depression seemed to be improved after naloxone infusion in these two cases. Possible mechanisms are briefly discussed.
Department of Emergency and Intensive Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium.
P
P
Hantson
M
M
Evenepoel
D
D
Ziade
A
A
Hassoun
P
P
Mahieu
D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene / Q000506:poisoning*; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006327:Heart Block / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009270:Naloxone / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D009270:Naloxone; D011431:Dextropropoxyphene