Protracted deep coma after bromazepam poisoning.
BACKGROUND
Bromazepam intoxication is very common but surprisingly rarely reported.


METHODS
We describe the case of a 73-year-old woman who suffered from a prolonged coma after acute self poisoning with bromazepam (serum concentration of 2,000 ng/ml at admission, 2 - 10 hours after ingestion of up to 180 mg) and zolpidem (900 ng/ml at admission). Only the former lasted at toxic concentrations. Recovery of consciousness allowed extubation on Day 16. Repeat-dose activated charcoal (25 g every 6 h from Day 14 to 16) resulted in minimal effects on bromazepam grossly estimated kinetics.


CONCLUSIONS
Despite its relatively low theoretic half-life, bromazepam may induce a prolonged life-threatening coma, even in the absence of renal or hepatic failure.
Lakhal
K
K
Réanimation Polyvalente, Département d'Anesthésie-Réanimation A, Hôpital Lapeyronie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire, 34000 Montpellier, France. lakhal_karim@yahoo.fr
Pallancher
S
S
Mathieu-Daude
J-C
JC
Harry
P
P
Capdevila
X
X
D000368:Aged; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001960:Bromazepam / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D002606:Charcoal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003128:Coma / Q000139:chemically induced*; D062787:Drug Overdose; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning; D011725:Pyridines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning; D013997:Time Factors; D000077334:Zolpidem
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000931:Antidotes; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011725:Pyridines; D002606:Charcoal; D000077334:Zolpidem; D001960:Bromazepam