title: [Treatment with disulfiram can be dangerous].
abstract: A 66 year-old woman developed severe hypotension and bronchospasm as a result of disulfiram-ethanol reaction (DER). She presented with sudden onset of severe life-threatening symptoms. The clinical signs of DER were treated successfully and symptomatically with intravenous fluids, catecholamines, inhalations and benzodiazepines in the intensive care unit. Fomepizole, an alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor, was advocated as a specific treatment for DER. This case highlights the potential danger of DER.
authors.affiliation: Anæstesi og Operationsafdelingen, Sygehus Sønderjylland, Sydvang 1, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark. skulebakke@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Skule Arnesen
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bakke
authors.forename: Søren Bjørn
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Laursen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000427:Alcohol Deterrents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000931:Antidotes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D000077604:Fomepizole; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000427:Alcohol Deterrents; D000931:Antidotes; D011720:Pyrazoles; D000431:Ethanol; D000077604:Fomepizole; D004221:Disulfiram