MEPROBAMATE POISONING WITH SHOCK - CASE-R EPORT OF 6 PATIENTS

The prognosis of acute meprobamate poisoning is related to shock whose haemodynamic mechanism remains obscure. We report the results of a re trospective study of six patients with meprobamate poisoning associate d with shock and explored by a right heart catheterization. The age of the patients, five women and one man, ranged from 36 to 57 years. Fiv e patients had also ingested other psychotropic drugs. A haemodynamic investigation was performed at admission to the ICU and three hours la ter, under treatment. Vasoplegia was the predominant feature. A myocar dial dysfunction was sometimes associated, which can be explained by a moderate hypothermia. According to these results, we suggest that pri or to right heart catheterization, the treatment should include inotro pic and alphamimetic agents and that vascular filling should be cautio us.