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.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 430-433 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Neurocritical Care |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jun 2008 |
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Keywords
- Baclofen
- Gamma-hydroxybutyrate dependence
- Intention tremor
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Clinical Neurology
- Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
Cite this
Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal. / LeTourneau, Jennifer L.; Hagg, Daniel; Smith, Stephen.
In: Neurocritical Care, Vol. 8, No. 3, 06.2008, p. 430-433.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Baclofen and gamma-hydroxybutyrate withdrawal
AU - LeTourneau, Jennifer L.
AU - Hagg, Daniel
AU - Smith, Stephen
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
VL - 8
SP - 430
EP - 433
JO - Neurocritical Care
JF - Neurocritical Care
SN - 1541-6933
IS - 3
ER -