Skip to main content
Canadian Medical Association Journal logoLink to Canadian Medical Association Journal
. 1963 Jul 6;89(1):20–22.

The Use of Ethamivan in the Treatment of Barbiturate Poisoning

P J Wheeldon, A W Perry
PMCID: PMC1921664  PMID: 14000228

Abstract

Ethamivan was used as a respiratory analeptic in the treatment of nine cases of severe barbiturate poisoning. Initial intravenous injections of 100 to 150 mg. of ethamivan increased the depth of respirations within a minute. Prolonged respiratory stimulation was achieved by a continuous intravenous infusion of 500 to 3000 mg. of ethamivan per litre of fluid. If hypotension occurred, an intravenous drip of noradrenaline was used; fluid overloading was avoided by adjusting the concentrations of drugs given, so that no more than a total of 125 c.c. of fluid per hour was administered. The chief side effect of overdosage of ethamivan was muscular twitching. This did not prove to be a problem and was of some value in determining the amount of drug given. The nine patients survived. It was concluded that ethamivan is a useful agent in the treatment of barbiturate poisoning.

Full text

PDF
21

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. ADRIANI J., DRAKE P., ARENS J. Use of antagonists in drug-induced coma. JAMA. 1962 Mar 10;179:752–758. doi: 10.1001/jama.1962.03050100006002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. ARONOVITCH M., KAHANA L. M., MEAKINS J. F., PLACE R. E., LAING R. Vanillic diethylamide in the management of acute respiratory insufficiency: a preliminary report. Can Med Assoc J. 1961 Oct 14;85:875–885. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. MILLER M. J., HAND B. M., CRELLIN J. A. Pharmacologic effects of intravenous vanillic acid diethylamide in man. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 1961 Sep-Oct;2:689–691. doi: 10.1002/cpt196125689. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. ROMAGNOLI A., DIAMOND M. J. Some trails with vanillic diethylamide: a new analeptic. Can Anaesth Soc J. 1961 Nov;8:551–555. doi: 10.1007/BF03021387. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Canadian Medical Association Journal are provided here courtesy of Canadian Medical Association

RESOURCES