Chronic amitriptyline overdose in a child

Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2012 Jun;50(5):431-4. doi: 10.3109/15563650.2012.672987. Epub 2012 Apr 2.

Abstract

Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, has a well-described toxicity profile, and acute ingestions are common in the pediatric toxicology world. However, little can be found in the literature regarding chronic overdose. We describe a case of a 6-year-old girl who was prescribed amitriptyline 30 mg nightly for sleep problems, but was mistakenly given 300 mg (15 mg/kg) nightly for over a month. She was noted to have mental status changes and difficulty reading several days after starting the medication. She presented to the local children's hospital in status epilepticus with significant cardiac conduction abnormalities on ECG. Her total amitriptyline/nortriptyline level was found to be 1676 ng/mL (normal therapeutic level 50-300 ng/mL). She was treated for several days with sodium bicarbonate. Within 24 h, her neurologic status improved and had returned to baseline within several days. Her ECG normalized, and she was discharged home, without apparent sequelae. A brief discussion of possible protective mechanisms (including pharmacogenomic) is presented.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Amitriptyline / pharmacokinetics
  • Amitriptyline / poisoning*
  • Amitriptyline / therapeutic use
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / pharmacokinetics
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / poisoning*
  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / therapeutic use
  • Child
  • Drug Overdose
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Nortriptyline / pharmacokinetics
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / chemically induced
  • Sleep Wake Disorders / drug therapy
  • Sodium Bicarbonate / therapeutic use*
  • Status Epilepticus / chemically induced*
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic
  • Amitriptyline
  • Sodium Bicarbonate
  • Nortriptyline