ACUTE CAFFEINE INGESTION FATALITIES - MANAGEMENT ISSUES

Caffeine is used and abused on a daily basis in different beverages, O TC products, and as a prescribed medication. The strength varies widel y from negligible in decaffeinated drinks to medicinal grade of 200 mg /tablet. A total of 7,655 exposures were recorded in 1995 by the AAPCC Toxic Exposure Surveillance System with no fatality (i). However, wit hin a 4-mo period, the Panhandle Poison Center recorded 2 deaths due t o caffeine overdose. The abrupt onset of intractable seizures needs to be anticipated in order to appropriately manage the victims and to pr event the adverse outcome.