ACCIDENTAL INTRAVENOUS ADMINISTRATION OF 50 MG OF RACEMIC ADRENALINE IN A 2-YEAR-OLD BOY

A 2-year-old boy received, by mistake, 50 mg racemic adrenaline intrav enously, equivalent to 1.8 mg kg(-1) of L-adrenaline, The blood pressu re increased to 160/105 mmHg, the heart rate to 160 beats min(-1), and pulmonary oedema developed over the next 2 h. He was treated with nit roprusside, nitroglycerin and digitoxin, and was intubated and ventila ted. After 3 h a hypotensive phase occurred which required infusions o f very high concentrations of catecholamines for 72 h. Renal failure r equired renal transplantation after which the child made an uneventful recovery.