Title: Pediatric Caffeine Overdose<br/>Author: Melissa Rice<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/resident/741/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p>
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<span style="font-size:16px;"><u><strong>Pediatric Caffeine Overdose </strong></u></span></p>
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As the in-service draws closer and the hours to study wind down, I find myself becoming more and more of a caffeine enthusiast. While a No-Doz or Diet Mt. Dew may put a little more pep in my step, the caffeine found in energy drinks, caffeine pills, and diet supplements can quickly result in an dangerous overdose in a young child. </p>
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<u><strong>Caffeine Overdose Presentation</strong></u>- Sympathomimetic Toxidrome</p>
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Tachycardia, dysrhythmia, hypertension</li>
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Diaphoresis, piloerection</li>
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Nausea, vomiting</li>
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Hyperthermia</li>
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Dilated pupils</li>
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Agitation, delusions, paranoia</li>
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Seizures, coma</li>
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Sometimes: Metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia</li>
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Rhabdo- muscle breakdown by Ca++ sequestration in the sarcoplasmic reticulum</li>
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<strong><u>Available Sources of Caffeine</u></strong>-</p>
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NoDoz- 200mg/tab</li>
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Excedrin 65mg/tab</li>
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Starbuck Double Shot 130mg/6.5oz</li>
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Monster Energy Drink 160mg/16oz</li>
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Caffeine Solution for Neonates with Apnea of Prematurity</li>
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So many more!</li>
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<u><strong>Toxic Doses</strong></u></p>
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<u><strong>15 mg/L</strong></u>- tachycardia, arrhythmia, HTN, seizure, vomiting, irritable, delusions, hallucinations (approx 1500 mg for an adult)</li>
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<u><strong>>80 mg/L</strong></u>- Coma or Death</li>
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<u><strong>Management</strong></u>- treat the symptoms (metabolic, cardiovascular, and neurologic)</p>
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IV Fluids </li>
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Anti-emetics</li>
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Sodium Bicarb if refractory metabolic acidosis</li>
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Benzos for severe agitation or seizure</li>
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PALS protocols for cardiac arrhythmias</li>
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Good Luck on the In-Service! </p>
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<img alt="" src="https://umem.org/files/uploads/content/Saved-By-The-Bell-Jessies-Breakdown.jpg" style="width: 420px; height: 305px;" /></p>
<fieldset><legend>References</legend>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Jones, Maya A., and Elizabeth R. Alpern. "A 16-Month-Old Girl With Irritability After Ingesting White Pills." </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Pediatric emergency care</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"> 30.1 (2014): 69-71.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Wolk, Brian J., Michael Ganetsky, and Kavita M. Babu. "Toxicity of energy drinks." </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;">Current opinion in pediatrics</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.1200008392334px;"> 24.2 (2012): 243-251.</span></p>
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