Cardiac arrest induced by the intentional ingestion of boric acid and mirtazapine treated by percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass: a case report

Bibliographic Details
Title: Cardiac arrest induced by the intentional ingestion of boric acid and mirtazapine treated by percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass: a case report
Authors: Hiroki Nagasawa, Hiroaki Nakanishi, Kazuyuki Saito, Takehisa Matsukawa, Kazuhito Yokoyama, Youichi Yanagawa
Source: Journal of Medical Case Reports, Vol 13, Iss 1, Pp 1-5 (2019)
Publisher Information: BMC, 2019.
Publication Year: 2019
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: Boric acid, Mirtazapine, Percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass, Medicine
More Details: Abstract Background Mirtazapine has a good tolerability and safety profile that demonstrates several benefits over other antidepressants and it is associated with few fatalities. Boric acid is an odorless white powder that is generally not recognized as a poisonous substance. We report a case of cardiac arrest induced by the intentional ingestion of mirtazapine, boric acid, and sennosides, by a patient who required percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass. Case presentation Our patient was a 49-year-old Japanese woman with a history of depression; she was found in an unconscious state after ingesting boric acid (unknown amount), mirtazapine (1950 mg), and sennosides (780 mg). On arrival, she was in a deep coma with marked hypotension induced by atrial fibrillation, tachycardia, and diffuse hypokinetic cardiac motion. She had systemic diffuse erythema. Her serum concentrations of boric acid and mirtazapine on arrival were 560.49 mg/L and 1270 ng/mL, respectively. She experienced repeated cardiac arrest, and was therefore treated with tracheal intubation, mechanical ventilation, percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass, and continuous hemodialysis filtration. Stable circulation and respiration and a normal kidney function were finally obtained and she was transferred to a local medical facility in a persistent unconscious state. Conclusions This is the first case of a return of spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest induced by the intentional ingestion of boric acid and mirtazapine, requiring percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass for survival. To maintain cerebral perfusion during percutaneous cardiopulmonary bypass, even in a prolonged state of cardiac arrest induced by overdose, is medically, ethically, and economically challenging.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1752-1947
Relation: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13256-019-2079-7; https://doaj.org/toc/1752-1947
DOI: 10.1186/s13256-019-2079-7
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/e3ccb5228f704899adb08bbada1e26f7
Accession Number: edsdoj.3ccb5228f704899adb08bbada1e26f7
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
Full text is not displayed to guests.
More Details
ISSN:17521947
DOI:10.1186/s13256-019-2079-7
Published in:Journal of Medical Case Reports
Language:English