Background
Acute chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine toxicity is characterized by a combination of direct cardiovascular effects and electrolyte derangements with resultant dysrhythmias and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
Objective
This review describes acute chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine toxicity, outlines the complex pathophysiologic derangements, and addresses the emergency department (ED) management of this patient population.
Discussion
Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine are aminoquinoline derivatives widely used in the treatment of rheumatologic diseases including systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis as well as for malaria prophylaxis. In early 2020, anecdotal reports and preliminary data suggested utility of hydroxychloroquine in attenuating viral loads and symptoms in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Aminoquinoline drugs pose unique and significant toxicological risks, both during their intended use as well as in unsupervised settings by laypersons. The therapeutic range for chloroquine is narrow. Acute severe toxicity is associated with 10–30% mortality owing to a combination of direct cardiovascular effects and electrolyte derangements with resultant dysrhythmias. Treatment in the ED is focused on decontamination, stabilization of cardiac dysrhythmias, hemodynamic support, electrolyte correction, and seizure prevention.
Conclusions
An understanding of the pathophysiology of acute chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine toxicity and available emergency treatments can assist emergency clinicians in reducing the immediate morbidity and mortality associated with this disease.
Bupropion overdose in the pediatric setting poses significant potential for toxicity. We present the case of a 15-year-old female patient presenting with intentional bupropion overdose resulting in generalized tonic–clonic seizures, severe acidosis, vomiting, and tachycardia after ingestion of between 1,650 to 9,000 mg (24–133 mg/kg) of bupropion. The patient was admitted to pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) where toxicity was resolved promptly following administration of intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) infusion. ILE is a first-line treatment for other forms of toxicity including unintended local anesthetic administration. ILE use is not a first-line treatment in this setting, but this case presents a positive subsequent patient outcome.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.