COMA AFTER MILTOWN OVERDOSE*

doi:10.1059/0003-4819-45-6-1211

COMA AFTER MILTOWN OVERDOSE*

RICHARD CHARET, M.D., F.A.C.P.;
BERNARD BRILL, M.D.; and
CIPRIANO ELLOSO, M.D.
Brooklyn, N. Y.

Requests for reprints should be addressed to Richard Charet, M.D.,
77 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn 38, New York
.

Excerpt

The anxiety states are so common that new sedative drugs are constantly being sought. Recently, the propanediol derivatives seemed to be among the most promising. The newest compound of this type is meprobamate (Miltown) (2-methyl-2-N-propyl-1,3-propanediol dicarbamate). The chemical was first synthesized in 1950 by Ludwig and Piech.¹ The pharmacology was first described by Berger.^{2, 3} He demonstrated that it produces muscle relaxation and sedation through its action on the central nervous system by its inhibiting effect on the internuncial circuits. It is considered a practical, safe and clinically useful central nervous system depressant.

Borrus⁴ treated 67 patients with no ill

Acknowledgment

The authors wish to express their thanks to Dr. S. P. Bailey for his coöperation.

Summario in Interlingua

Es reportate un caso de coma post ingestion de 10 g de Miltown (meprobamato). Iste droga es un derivato de propanediol e effectua relaxation muscular e sedation in consequentia de su action inhibitori super le circuitos internuncial in le systema nervose central.

In un serie de casos previemente reportate, 67 patientes ingereva le droga sin effectos adverse. Un altere reporto de un serie de 187 patientes mentiona solmente tres casos de reactiones allergic (febre, urticaria, lipothymia), cinque casos de disconforto gastric, e un caso de marcate somnolentia post le ingestion de 20 g de Miltown in le curso de un periodo de un hora.

Un feminina blanc de 50 annos de etate esseva admittite al hospital in coma e complete areflexia. Le tractamento consisteva de picrotoxina, oxygeno, e fluidos intravenose. Le patiente se restabliva completemente. Le historia del caso revelava que le patiente habeva ingerite le matino del mesme die 25 tablettas de Miltown (un total de 10 g) in un tentativa de suicidar se. Illa habeva essite sub tractamento psychiatric pro psychosis involutional del typo depressive.

Miltown es un agente tranquillisante de comparativemente alte securitate e produce reactiones toxic in rar occasiones. In individuos susceptibile le droga in moderatemente grande doses pote producer inconscientia del grado de coma. Es recommendabile que patientes qui recipe Miltown in dosages crescente remane sub observation medical, proque solmente frequente examines rende possibile le detection de effectos toxic del droga.