Early use of high-dose insulin euglycaemic therapy for verapamil toxicity.
A 49-year-old man presented with verapamil toxicity complicated by hypotension and a junctional rhythm, in the context of deliberate self-poisoning with multiple drugs. The patient's hypotension normalised following the early use of high-dose insulin euglycaemic therapy (HIET), without the need for additional vasopressors; it recurred when HIET was prematurely stopped, and again stabilised when HIET was recommenced. Consideration should be given to the early use of HIET in treating severe calcium channel blocker toxicity, rather than as a last resort after other therapies have failed.
Nickson
Christopher P
CP
Intensive Care Unit, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia.
Little
Mark
M
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000506:poisoning*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014700:Verapamil / Q000506:poisoning*
D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D007328:Insulin; D014700:Verapamil