UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Toxicology

Title: Clinical Findings and Sedative-Hypnotics

Keywords: barbiturates, meprobamate, bromides, propofol (PubMed Search)

Posted: 7/2/2009 by Fermin Barrueto, MD (Updated: 3/29/2024)
Click here to contact Fermin Barrueto, MD

The followings is a list of unique clinical findings related to a certain sedative-hypnotic overdose:

1) Hypothermia:Barbiturates, bromides, ethchlorvynol (others but these more pronounced)

2) Unique odors: chloral hydrate, ethchlorvynol (which is Placidyl)

3) Bradycardia: GHB (again others but pronounced in this OD)

4) Tachydysrhythmias: chloral hydrate

5) Muscular twitching: GHB, methaqualone, etomidate

6) Discolored urine: propofol (green/pink)

 

 

References

Adapted from Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies 8th Edition, p1102.