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. 2013 May;57(3):289-91.
doi: 10.4103/0019-5049.115617.

Dexmedetomidine overdosage: An unusual presentation

Soumya S Nath  1 , Sujan Singh, Sundeep T Pawar
Affiliations

Dexmedetomidine overdosage: An unusual presentation

Soumya S Nath et al. Indian J Anaesth. 2013 May.

Abstract

We present a case of dexmedetomidine toxicity in a 3-year-old child. The case report describes the features and outlines the treatment strategy adopted. The child presented with bradypnoea, bradycardia, hypotension, deep hypnosis and miosis. He was successfully managed with oxygen, saline boluses and adrenaline infusion. He became haemodynamically stable with adrenaline infusion. He started responding to painful stimuli in 3 h and became oriented in 7 h. Dexmedetomidine, a selective α2 adrenoceptor agonist, is claimed to have a wide safety margin. This case report highlights the fact that dexmedetomidine administered in a toxic dose may be life-threatening may present with miosis and adrenaline infusion may be a useful supportive treatment.

Keywords: Dexmedetomidine; miosis; overdose.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared

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