Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal

Jennifer L. LeTourneau; Daniel S. Hagg; Stephen M. Smith

doi:10.1007/s12028-008-9062-2

Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal

Jennifer L. LeTourneau, Daniel S. Hagg, Stephen M. Smith

Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

45 Scopus citations

Abstract

Introduction: Benzodiazepine treatment of life-threatening gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal is frequently unsatisfactory. Animal studies suggest strongly that treatment with GABA_B agonists, such as baclofen, will be a more effective strategy. Methods: A case report from the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of the university tertiary care hospital. Results: A 61-year-old woman was admitted to the medical ICU for severe withdrawal symptoms from chronic GHB use. This manifested as delirium, tremor, and seizures despite only small decreases in GHB dose and treatment with benzodiazepines. The addition of baclofen allowed the rapid sequential decreases in the GHB dose without seizure or delirium and resulted in long-term improvement of her tremor. Conclusions: Baclofen, a GABA_B agonist, may be a useful agent in the treatment of severe GHB withdrawal.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	430-433
Number of pages	4
Journal	Neurocritical Care
Volume	8
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s12028-008-9062-2
State	Published - Jun 2008

Keywords

Baclofen
Gamma-hydroxybutyrate dependence
Intention tremor

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
Clinical Neurology

Access to Document

10.1007/s12028-008-9062-2

Cite this

@article{87071ff25b7b401cb89967717e897018,

title = "Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal",

abstract = "Introduction: Benzodiazepine treatment of life-threatening gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal is frequently unsatisfactory. Animal studies suggest strongly that treatment with GABAB agonists, such as baclofen, will be a more effective strategy. Methods: A case report from the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of the university tertiary care hospital. Results: A 61-year-old woman was admitted to the medical ICU for severe withdrawal symptoms from chronic GHB use. This manifested as delirium, tremor, and seizures despite only small decreases in GHB dose and treatment with benzodiazepines. The addition of baclofen allowed the rapid sequential decreases in the GHB dose without seizure or delirium and resulted in long-term improvement of her tremor. Conclusions: Baclofen, a GABAB agonist, may be a useful agent in the treatment of severe GHB withdrawal.",

keywords = "Baclofen, Gamma-hydroxybutyrate dependence, Intention tremor",

author = "LeTourneau, {Jennifer L.} and Hagg, {Daniel S.} and Smith, {Stephen M.}",

year = "2008",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1007/s12028-008-9062-2",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "8",

pages = "430--433",

journal = "Neurocritical Care",

issn = "1541-6933",

publisher = "Humana Press",

number = "3",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal

AU - LeTourneau, Jennifer L.

AU - Hagg, Daniel S.

AU - Smith, Stephen M.

PY - 2008/6

Y1 - 2008/6

N2 - Introduction: Benzodiazepine treatment of life-threatening gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal is frequently unsatisfactory. Animal studies suggest strongly that treatment with GABAB agonists, such as baclofen, will be a more effective strategy. Methods: A case report from the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of the university tertiary care hospital. Results: A 61-year-old woman was admitted to the medical ICU for severe withdrawal symptoms from chronic GHB use. This manifested as delirium, tremor, and seizures despite only small decreases in GHB dose and treatment with benzodiazepines. The addition of baclofen allowed the rapid sequential decreases in the GHB dose without seizure or delirium and resulted in long-term improvement of her tremor. Conclusions: Baclofen, a GABAB agonist, may be a useful agent in the treatment of severe GHB withdrawal.

AB - Introduction: Benzodiazepine treatment of life-threatening gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) withdrawal is frequently unsatisfactory. Animal studies suggest strongly that treatment with GABAB agonists, such as baclofen, will be a more effective strategy. Methods: A case report from the medical intensive care unit (ICU) of the university tertiary care hospital. Results: A 61-year-old woman was admitted to the medical ICU for severe withdrawal symptoms from chronic GHB use. This manifested as delirium, tremor, and seizures despite only small decreases in GHB dose and treatment with benzodiazepines. The addition of baclofen allowed the rapid sequential decreases in the GHB dose without seizure or delirium and resulted in long-term improvement of her tremor. Conclusions: Baclofen, a GABAB agonist, may be a useful agent in the treatment of severe GHB withdrawal.

KW - Baclofen

KW - Gamma-hydroxybutyrate dependence

KW - Intention tremor

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=51449123237&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=51449123237&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1007/s12028-008-9062-2

DO - 10.1007/s12028-008-9062-2

M3 - Article

C2 - 18266111

AN - SCOPUS:51449123237

SN - 1541-6933

VL - 8

SP - 430

EP - 433

JO - Neurocritical Care

JF - Neurocritical Care

IS - 3

ER -

Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this