title: Rhabdomyolysis: a rare adverse effect of diphenhydramine overdose.
abstract: Drug- and toxin-induced rhabdomyolysis is a nonspecific clinical syndrome resulting from the release of skeletal muscle cell contents into the plasma and urine. Antihistamine drugs are the active ingredients in a number of over-the-counter preparations and are frequently ingested in suicide attempts. We report rhabdomyolysis as a rare adverse effect of diphenhydramine toxicity in a 29-year-old man who ingested an unknown quantity of an over-the-counter sleep preparation in a suicide attempt. The patient had documented toxic concentration of diphenhydramine in his cerebrospinal fluid and no history of seizures, coma, or hypothermia. A high index of suspicion and an evaluation for rhabdomyolysis is warranted in antihistamine toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Utah Health Sciences Center, Salt Lake City 84132, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Emadian
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Caravati
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Herr
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004155:Diphenhydramine / Q000506:poisoning*; D062787:Drug Overdose; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D004155:Diphenhydramine