Collapse, reported seizure-and an unexpected pill

Authors

David M. Wood, NHS Foundation, London
Paul I. Dargan, NHS Foundation, London
Jennifer Button, Dept. of Clinical Toxicology, London
David W. Holt, University of London, UK
Hanna Ovaska, NHS Foundation, London
John Ramsey, St. George's University of London
Alison Jones, University of WollongongFollow

RIS ID

62762

Publication Details

Wood, D. M., Dargan, P. I., Button, J., Holt, D. W., Ovaska, H., Ramsey, J. & Jones, A. (2007). Collapse, reported seizure-and an unexpected pill. Lancet, 369 (9571), 1490.

Abstract

In May, 2006, on a Bank Holiday weekend, an 18-year-old woman presented to an inner-city London emergency department. She had been at a nightclub with friends and purchased tablets, which she understood to be Ecstasy or amfetamines, from a dealer. After ingesting fi ve tablets, she collapsed in the nightclub and appeared to have a seizure lasting 10 min. On arrival in the emergency department, she was agitated and had dilated pupils (8 mm), sinus tachycardia (156 bpm), and a blood pressure of 150/51 mm Hg. Her score on the Glasgow coma scale was 15 and she was apyrexial (35·9°C). She had no signifi cant past medical history and was on no regular medication.