Crack cocaine ingestion with prolonged toxicity requiring electrical pacing.
We report a 38-year-old man who experienced prolonged toxicity lasting over 16 hours from the time of ingestion of 1/4 ounce of crack cocaine. His illness included status epilepticus, wide and narrow complex bradyarrhythmias, ventricular arrhythmias, and delayed hyperthermia. His bradyarrhythmias were refractory to medicinal intervention and responsive to application of an external pacemaker. The patient recovered to his baseline state over the ensuing 48 hours.
Tanen
D A
DA
Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona 85006, USA.
Graeme
K A
KA
Curry
S C
SC
D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D019970:Cocaine-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D016578:Crack Cocaine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D007035:Hypothermia / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D016578:Crack Cocaine