[Ergotamine poisoning: a case study]. / Zatrucie ergotamina: opis przypadku.

Ergotamine is a well known pharmacological remedy applied in neurology (treatment of vascular headache) and in obstetrics (abortive remedy, uterus atony). But today it is rarely used, because of new safer anti-migraine medicine (triptanes) which cause fewer side effects. According to obstetrical indications ergotamine is applied only in hospital treatment. For that reason, cases of intoxication by this class of drugs are rarely observed. Ergotamine causes constriction of the blood vessels through the blockade of alpha-receptors and stimulation of the serotonin-receptors on the walls of blood vessels both in the central nervous system and in peripheral circulation. Intoxication/overdose symptoms may appear on application of therapeutic dose by sensitive patients, mostly by patients with migraine headache using ergotamine preparation for relief of migraine attacks. In the Regional Centre of Clinical Toxicology, a 21-year-old patient was hospitalized. She took about 20 tablets of Cafergot (complex preparation containing 1mg ergotamine tartare and 100mg caffeine). During her stay on the ward, typical symptoms of severe poisoning were observed: nausea, severe vomiting, dizziness, decreased blood pressure without perceptible pulse, narrowing of the blood vessels in the extremities of the body (peripheral vasoconstriction) - paresthesia, digital cyanosis, refrigeration of legs, angina. Due to taking once of a great dose of the drug by the patient, violent process of intoxication, possibility of dangerous complication and also the unavailability of specific antidotes and lack of efficient methods of extracorporeal elimination of the drug, the patient was intensively controlled and symptomatic treatments according to the law of intensive therapy was applied.

[Cardiovascular drugs poisoning in the elderly patients hospitalized in the Province Poisoning Center in Lublin in the years 1995-2001]. / Analiza zatruc lekami pierwotnie dzialajacymi na uklad sercowo-naczyniowy u pacjentów w wieku podeszlym hospitalizowanych w Wojewódzkim Osrodku Toksykologii w Lublinie w latach 1995-2001.

The aim of our research was retrospective analysis of poisoning with cardiovascular drugs (T46 according to ICD 10 classification) in patients over 59 years old, hospitalized in Province Poisoning Centre in Lublin, in the period from 1995 to 2001. There were hospitalized 288 patients at this time age, over 59 years old. Among this 16 persons were poisoned with cardiovascular drugs (one accidental and 15 suicidal intoxications), and 3 of them died. Different kinds of cardiovascular medications were used e.g. digoxin, nitrates, hypotensive drugs (as single and multiplied drug poisonings). At 3 of the patients depression was diagnosed.