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A Poison Centers Ten-year Experience with Flumazenil Administration to Acutely Poisoned Adults
The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 07/10/2012
Clinical Article
Kreshak AA et al. – Flumazenil administration to acutely poisoned adults resulted in a low frequency of seizures and death. Development of seizures was associated with exposure to a pro–convulsant drug. More than half of the subjects for whom mental status was recorded became awake after receiving flumazenil.
Methods- This study was a historical case series of acutely poisoned adults reported to a poison control system from 1999 to 2008.
- Included cases were those involving administration of flumazenil to subjects who were ≥18years of age.
- Both genders were included.
- Variables collected included: presence of seizure or death, exposure to a pro–convulsant drug, and mental status before and after flumazenil administration.
- Over the 10–year period studied, 904 cases were identified that met inclusion criteria.
- Thirteen subjects (1.4%) developed seizures after flumazenil was administered.
- One death occurred.
- There were 293 subjects exposed to a pro–convulsant drug, and 8 of these had seizures after flumazenil administration.
- Development of seizures after flumazenil administration was significantly associated with exposure to a pro–convulsant drug (odds ratio 3.41; 95% confidence interval 1.13–10.72).
- Mental status before and after flumazenil administration was available for 546 subjects (60.3%).
- Of these, 291 (53.3%) became awake after administration of flumazenil.