The interaction between alcohol, chlorpropamide and phenformin in a severe combined poisoning: case report

Abstract

A young non-diabetic woman ingested 2.5-3.7 g of chlorpropamide and 0.6-0.9 g of phenformin together with a large dose of alcohol, nitrofurantoin and promethazine in a suicidal attempt. She developed severe metabolic acidosis, hypokalemia, polyuria and prolonged hypoglycemia in the absence of typical hypoglycemic symptoms. These unusual clinical features were in part explained on the basis of the interactions between alcohol and the other drugs.