Chewing the fat: A case report on intravenous lipid emulsion to reverse cardiotoxicity from intentional amitriptyline overdose.

Abstract

Introduction: Tricyclic antidepressant overdoses are a common presenting problem to emergency centres in South Africa. Case history: A 20-year-old female was brought to the emergency centre in status epilepticus due to tricyclic antidepressant toxicity. Discussion: Toxicity was manifested as severe haemodynamic instability that did not respond to standard therapy, and was subsequently treated with intravenous fat emulsion (ILE) therapy. The patient recovered with a survival to hospital discharge, neurologically intact.

Keywords

• Tricyclic antidepressants
• Amitriptyline overdose
• Intravenous fat emulsion
• Antidote