[Chloral hydrate--is it safe?].
Chloral hydrate is widely used as a sedative or hypnotic, especially in geriatric and pediatric patients. In therapeutic doses blood pressure and respiration are only minimally affected. We describe a 9-year-old boy in whom a life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia dominated the clinical presentation of chloral hydrate intoxication. In spite of its widespread use, the dangers of chloral hydrate overdosage, especially cardiac arrhythmias, are not sufficiently appreciated.
Paret
G
G
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer.
Kassem
R
R
Vardi
A
A
Ben Zeev
B
B
Barzilay
Z
Z
D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002648:Child; D002697:Chloral Hydrate / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000506:poisoning*; D008297:Male
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D002697:Chloral Hydrate