UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Clinical Findings and Sedative-Hypnotics

Category: Toxicology

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

Posted: 7/2/2009 by Fermin Barrueto (Updated: 11/22/2024)
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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)

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