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. 2017 Apr;70(2):221-223.
doi: 10.4097/kjae.2017.70.2.221. Epub 2017 Jan 11.

Famotidine-induced reversal of meperidine-related serotonin syndrome: a case report

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Famotidine-induced reversal of meperidine-related serotonin syndrome: a case report

Soohyun Joe et al. Korean J Anesthesiol. 2017 Apr.

Abstract

Serotonin syndrome is an unexpected fatal adverse event related to serotonergic medication. This case report is the first report describing the possible treatment effect of famotidine on serotonin syndrome. Furthermore, this is the first case report of serotonin syndrome induced by meperidine alone in a patient with no previous history suggesting a susceptibility to serotonin syndrome. A 70-year-old male with no recent history of serotonergic drug use presented with severe serotonin syndrome following ureteroscopy, possibly due to postoperative meperidine administration. The patient's symptoms included hypertension, tachycardia, tachypnea, hyperthermia, myoclonus, diaphoresis, retching, nausea, agitation, and semicoma mentality with no pupillary light reflex. Symptoms began to subside immediately after the administration of intravenous famotidine for prevention of aspiration pneumonia, with mental and neurological symptoms showing improvement initially, followed by autonomic symptoms. This case report suggests that the histamine type 2 receptor antagonist famotidine may be an effective emergency treatment for serotonin syndrome.

Keywords: Famotidine; Histamine H2 antagonists; Meperidine; Serotonin syndrome.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. Time course of symptoms of serotonin syndrome during medication administration. SS: serotonin syndrome, SBP: systolic blood pressure (mmHg), DBP: diastolic blood pressure (mmHg), HR: heart rate (beats/min), BT: body temperature (℃).

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