Hydroxychloroquine overdose: toxicokinetics and management.
BACKGROUND
The management and toxicokinetics of hydroxychloroquine overdose are poorly described.


METHODS
We report a case of an 18-year-old girl who ingested 20 g of hydroxychloroquine. She developed marked hypokalemia, hypotension, and ventricular tachyarrhythmias but survived with treatment including intubation, adrenaline infusion, high-dose diazepam, and aggressive potassium replacement. Plasma hydroxychloroquine level was 29.40 mumol/L (9.87 mg/L) 2 hours after ingestion and the elimination half-life of hydroxychloroquine was 22 hours.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical manifestations of this hydroxychloroquine overdose were similar to those reported for chloroquine overdose and the management principles recommended for chloroquine overdose appeared to be efficacious in this case.
Jordan
P
P
Canberra Hospital, Garran, Australia.
Brookes
J G
JG
Nikolic
G
G
Le Couteur
D G
DG
D000293:Adolescent; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D062787:Drug Overdose; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology
D000962:Antimalarials; D006886:Hydroxychloroquine