[Cyclizine is sold in Denmark as an over-the-counter drug and has serious side effects when overdosed].

Cyclizine is sold in Denmark as an over-the-counter drug and affects not only histaminergic but also muscarinergic, serotonergic and α-adrenergic receptors, with side effects such as respiratory depression and cardiac arrhythmias, leading to fatalities. Due to the numerous side effects, it raises questions concerning the status of cyclizine as an over-the-counter drug. Data of healthcare contacts because of cyclizine intoxication in the 2014-2016 period should be analyzed to further illuminate the health risk of cyclizine poisoning.

[Intentional suicide with cyclizine].

Cyclizine is an antihistamine with a sedative effect. In Denmark it is an over-the-counter drug, whereas it is a prescription drug in many other countries. It possesses anticholinergic and antiemetic properties, although the exact mechanism of action is unknown. At doses greater than 5 mg/kg potent side effects of anticholinergic character can be expected. This case report is a description of an intentional suicide with a dose greater than 70 mg/kg.

Intrauterine death from ergotamine overdosage.

Fetal death in a primigravid patient who had taken an overdose of ergotamine tartrate is presented. Non-stress cardiotocography performed shortly after admission was technically unsatisfactory for interpretation but revealed the presence of very frequent uterine contractions. The cause of fetal death in this patient is discussed. Overdosage of ergotamine must be considered a serious threat to the well-being of the fetus in utero.

Fatality resulting from cyclizine overdose.

A case involving an overdose fatality of cyclizine is presented. Toxicological analysis revealed a cyclizine blood concentration of 80 micrograms/mL. The drug was quantified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Qualitative analyses of urine and stomach contents were performed.

Suicide due to cyclizine overdose.

Cyclizine is an antihistamine with sedative effect used to treat motion sickness. A few studies have reported on cyclizine abuse among teenagers, and cyclizine abuse has been reported among opioid dependants receiving methadone, with the combination having been reported to produce strong psychoactive effects. Few reports exist on the possible toxic effects of cyclizine, and it is regarded as a safe drug most often sold as a non-prescription/over-the-counter drug. Very few cases of fatalities resulting from cyclizine overdose can be found in the literature. We present a case where a 22-year-old female was found unconscious and intoxication with drugs and alcohol was suspected. Whole blood from the femoral vein, urine and stomach content were collected during autopsy and screened for drugs of abuse and medicinal drugs. GC-MS screening of the stomach contents revealed presence of cyclizine and meclozine. Cyclizine and meclozine concentrations in blood were determined using a UPLC-MS-MS method. Quantification of femoral blood revealed a high concentration of cyclizine (16 mg/L), a low concentration of meclozine (0.2 mg/L) and ethanol 0.16 g/dL. No other medicinal drugs or drugs of abuse were detected. We report on a case of suicide where cyclizine was found to be the principal drug and question the safety of this drug.

[The intoxication with cyclizin in infancy and adult age (Experiences of a contamination-information-central office) (author's transl)]. / Die Intoxikation mit Cyclizin im Kindes- und Erwachsenenalter (Erfahrungen einer Vergiftungsinformationszentrale).

Epidemiological, clinical and therapeutic aspects obtained from 38 cases of intoxication with the antiemetic drug "cyclizine" in children and adults are discussed. The relative frequency of accidentally or purposely performed overdosage shows a decreasing tendency. The introduction of regulations after the prescription of cyclizine compounds, leaving a limited dose available without prescription and the introduction of a safety package to prohibit misuse by children are reported in their relationship with the epidemiologic data. A toxic dose of 5 mg/kg body weight, a minimal lethal dose (MLD) of about 80 mg/kg are evaluated and compared with previous published data. Differences of age in the development of the clinical picture of the cyclizine-intoxication with a disposition for the evolvement of convulsions in children compared to the total lack of convulsions in adults have to be pointed out. The management of overdoses follows general principles of treatment like gastric lavage, supporting care and includes the specific treatment with the antidote "physostigmin-salicylate", which causes a shortening of the time of recovery.

Opiate-induced rhabdomyolysis.

Three patients with opiate self-poisoning developed acute muscle damage with elevated serum aspartate aminotransferase and creatine kinase activities, increased serum myoglobin concentrations, raised plasma creatinine concentrations, hypocalcaemia and hyperphosphataemia. These abnormalities gradually resolved over 7-10 days, but recovery was complicated due to the development of acute renal failure (requiring haemodialysis) in one patient. Plasma drug concentrations, shortly after admission, in the patients taking dihydrocodeine and morphine were grossly elevated (184 and 60 micrograms/l respectively). Clinical evidence of myopathy was minimal in all three patients and muscle biopsy of one patient was normal at 7 days.

[Cyclizine-intoxication in six children (author's transl)]. / Cyclizinvergiftung im Kindesalter

Cyclizine hydrochloride (Marezine, Echnatol) an antihistaminic drug is commonly used for the treatment of motion sickness. During the past two years we observed six cases of accidental moderate intoxication with an average of 200 mg of cyclizine hydrochloride in children between 2 and 4 years of age. The symptoms became obvious about 1 to 2 hours following ingestion. Among the main symptoms our patients revealed were such as excitement, incoordination, ataxia, athetoid movements and severe hallucinationes. The faces were flushed, the pupils dilated, but dryness of the mouth and hoarseness were never found. Convulsions did not occur. The treatment is purely symtomatic, histamine, apomorphine, phenothiazines and analeptics should not be used.