Title: How often do we encounter the signs and symptoms of clonidine overdose?<br/>Author: Hong Kim<br/><a href='http://umem.org/profiles/faculty/526/'>[Click to email author]</a><hr/><p> Clinical signs and symptoms of clonidine overdose include CNS depression, bradycardia, and miosis. Other effects include early hypertension, followed by hypotension and respiratory depression, especially in children.</p> <p> </p> <p> Although clonidine overdose in children is well described, frequency of clinical signs/symptoms in adults is not well characterized.</p> <p> </p> <p> Recently, a retrospective study was performed in a hospital in Australia looking at clonidine overdose in adults. </p> <p> </p> <p> Among isolated clonidine overdose, patients experienced:</p> <ul> <li> GCS < 15: 55%</li> <li> GSS < 9: 5%</li> <li> Miosis: 25%</li> <li> Bradycardia (HR< 60): 68%</li> <li> Median HR: 48 (IQR: 40-62)</li> <li> Hypotension (SBP < 90 mmHg): 25%</li> <li> Median LOS: 21 hr (IQR: 11 – 27 hr)</li> <li> Intensive care: 23%</li> <li> No deaths</li> </ul> <p> Bottom line:</p> <ol> <li> The most common symtom of clonidicine overdose was bradycardia</li> <li> Clonidine overdose results in non-life threatening but prolonged clinical effect in adult.</li> </ol> <fieldset><legend>References</legend>
<p> Isbister GK et al. Adult clonidine overdose: prolonged bradycarida and central nervous system depression, but not severe toxicity. Clin Toxicol 2017;55:187-192.</p> </fieldset>