[Perioperative management of long-term medication]. / Langzeitmedikation und perioperatives Management.

Anesthesiologists and surgeons are increasingly faced with patients who are under long-term medication. Some of these drugs can interact with anaesthetics or anaesthesia and/or surgical interventions. As a result, patients may experience complications such as bleeding, ischemia, infection or severe circulatory reactions. On the other hand, perioperative discontinuation of medication is often more dangerous. The proportion of outpatient operations has increased dramatically in recent years and will probably continue to increase. Since the implementation of DRGs (pending in Switzerland, introduced in Germany for some time), the patient enters the hospital the day before operation. This means that the referring physician as well as anesthesiologists and surgeons at an early stage must deal with issues of perioperative pharmacotherapy. This review article is about the management of the major drug classes during the perioperative period. In addition to cardiac and centrally acting drugs and drugs that act on hemostasis and the endocrine system, special cases such as immunosuppressants and herbal remedies are mentioned.

[Methylphenidate misuse]. / Missbrauch von Methylphenidat - ein Problem in der Schweiz?

Methylphenidate (MPH) is mainly used for treatment of the attention-deficit hyperactivity syndrome (ADHS). Non-medical use of methylphenidate as recreational drug or performance enhancer has increased in recent years. Methylphenidate is also misused in combination with other drugs. Patients with ADHD are also at risk to misuse their prescribed methylphenidate medication. Oral and nasal abuse of methylphenidate is most common and is in general associated with minor or moderate sympathomimetic toxicity. In contrast, severe toxicity has been reported for both intravenous and intraarterial administration of crushed methylphenidate tablets.

[Severe pancytopenia and stomatitis in a patient treated with low-dose methostraxate]. / Schwere Panzytopenie und Stomatitis unter low-dose-Therapie mit Methotrexat.

A 68-year-old female patient presented at the emergency room with episodes of epistaxis, dysphagia and malaise. The patient had acute prerenal renal failure, probably in association with previous infection of the airways and treatment with NSAID's. Laboratory values revealed greatly decreased leukocyte and platelet counts as well as anemia. The patient had a diagnosis of a seronegative arthritis since 9 months and, therefore, was treated with low dose methotrexate (MTX) 10 mg/week. After exclusion of other causes, myelosupression was considered to be associated with low-dose MTX. After stopping MTX and treatment with folic acid leucocyte and platelet counts returned to normal and stomatitis recovered as well within nine days. We discuss the pharmacology of low-dose MTX and in particular the risk factors and prophylaxis of its toxicity. Renal function needs special attention in patients treated with low-dose MTX.

[Rhabdomyolysis associated with atorvastatin combined with amiodarone and fluconazole]. / Rhabdomyolyse unter der Kombination Atorvastatin, Amiodaron und Fluconazol.

A 67-year old man was hospitalized due to an aorto-coronary bypass and cecal perforation. After administration of atorvastatin, amiodarone, and fluconazole, rhabdomyolysis developed with electrolyte disturbances (hyperphosphatemia, hyopcalcemia) and a massive increase in creatine kinase and myoglobin. In the clinical course, other complications manifested such as acute renal failure, critical illness myopathy, acute gout on the knee, and sternal infection with coagulase-negative staphylococci. After stopping the assumed causal agents and treating the complications, the patient could be transferred for rehabilitation after a more than two months hospital stay. We discuss the causes and symptoms of muscle diseases as well as the epidemiology, mechanisms, treatment, and prevention of drug-induced myopathies with a focus on statins.

[Liver damage in a patient treated with a vitamin K antagonist, a statin and an ACE inhibitor]. / Leberschaden unter oraler Antikoagulation, Statin- und ACE-Hemmertherapie.

We report the case of a 71-year-old male patient who presented at the emergency room with episodes of epistaxis and jaundice. The patient was on therapy with phenprocoumon, atorvastatin and perindopril. Findings on admission included prominent elevation of transaminases and bilirubin and a high INR due to impaired liver function and oral anticoagulation. After exclusion of other causes like viral or autoimmune hepatitis and after having obtained a liver biopsy, a diagnosis of drug induced liver damage (DILI) was made. Epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical signs of DILI are discussed with a special focus on coumarines, statins and ACE-inhibitors.

[Medication associated long QT syndrome]. / Medikamenten-assoziiertes Long-QT-Syndrom.

We report on a 76 year old woman who fainted on her way to the restroom during the night. At the emergency department, a prolonged QT-interval was noticed in addition to sinusbradycardia and marginal hypokalemia. The QT-interval normalized promptly after citalopram was discontinued. Taking into account the clinical picture and the ascertained orthostatic dysregulation, a diagnosis of orthostatic syncope was made. Because of the lengthened QT-interval, drug-induced torsade de pointes ventricular arrhythmia was considered as a differential diagnosis. We describe that citalopram was most probably the cause for the prolonged QT-interval. In our article we discuss the pathophysiology of drug-induced long QT syndrome (LQTS), the most important drugs involved, and finally the prophylaxis and treatment of a TdP ventricular arrhythmia.

[Intoxication with lithium]. / Akzidentelle Lithiumintoxikation.

We report a case of a 75-year-old male patient who presented to the emergency room with arterial hypotension and impaired vigilance. The patient was on lithium therapy due to mood disorder. One month earlier medication with a betablocker, a loop-diuretic and an ACE-inhibitor had been started due to heart failure. Findings at admission included renal insufficiency, pneumonia and a slightly increased serum level of lithium. Three days later his Glasgow Coma Scale Score was 7, he showed gaze deviation, increased muscle tonus and cloni. The patient fully recovered after volume substitution and normalization of his renal function. Diagnosis of chronic intoxication with lithium was made due to the clinical picture and after exclusion of neurological pathologies. The pharmacokinetic characteristics of lithium is described and the risk factors leading to lithium intoxication and treatment of intoxication are discussed.