beta-Blocker Poisoning: Even in the Era of ECMO a Real Challenge for Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine

摘要

A 38-year-old woman attempted to commit suicide by ingesting a mixture of poisons. The main substance was a lethal dose of beta-blocker. The patient presented with a fading pulse and weak tension, which quickly deteriorated to PEA, followed by asystolia because of cardioplegia. Resuscitation was carried out by performing ACLS till implantation of extracorporeal life support and implementation of an up-to-date intoxication strategy of increasing the inotropy of the myocardium by mechanisms independent of beta receptors. After an initially positive response to treatment, the patient died within a few days due to complications from irreversible arterial thromboembolism.