scholarly journals Toxicological Findings in a Possible Drug-drug Interaction Death: A Case Report

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-133
Author(s):  
Mohammed Y. Albeishy ◽  
Magbool E. Oraiby ◽  
Ahmad M. Alamir ◽  
Ibrahim A. Khardali ◽  
Farid M. Abualsail ◽  
...  

Synergistic effects are the most encountered types of drug-drug interaction in post-mortem toxicology. Concomitant use of fentanyl, tramadol and carbamazepine may increase the risk of severe serotonin toxicity. The decedent was a 32-year-old black man, with a history of severe migraine headaches. He died after being administered several drugs to treat the migraine. For fentanyl identification and quantification, samples were extracted using solid phase extraction and analyzed by GC-MS. For carbamazepine and tramadol identification and quantification, samples were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and analyzed by LC-QTOF. Toxicology showed post-mortem concentrations of fentanyl 0.033, 0.025, 0.005, 0.0127, and 0.005 mg/L; tramadol 0.143, 0.093, 0.043, 0.09, and 0.08 mg/L; carbamazepine 1.6, 1.04, 0.3, 0.83, and 0.18 mg/L in the blood, brain, liver, kidney and stomach, respectively. In this case report, the combination of serotonergic drugs can contribute to synergistic serotonergic effects. Therefore, drug-drug interaction is expected, and the cause of death may be attributed to toxic synergistic drug-drug interaction including fentanyl, tramadol and carbamazepine.

2003 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 202-205 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick G Clay ◽  
Molly M Adams

OBJECTIVE: To report a case of Parkinson-like symptoms appearing in a patient after introduction of ritonavir to buspirone therapy. CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old HIV-positive white man presented to the clinic with a 2-week history of ataxia, shuffling gait, cogwheel rigidity, resting tremor, and sad affect with masked features. This patient had been receiving high-dose buspirone (40 mg every morning and 30 mg every evening) for 2 years prior to the introduction of ritonavir/indinavir combination therapy (400 mg/400 mg twice daily) 6 weeks prior to initiation of the above symptoms. Buspirone was decreased to 15 mg 3 times daily, ritonavir/indinavir was discontinued, and amprenavir 1200 mg twice daily was added. The patient's symptoms began to subside after 1 week, with complete resolution after about 2 weeks. The patient continued to receive buspirone for an additional 12 months without recurrence of symptoms. DISCUSSION: This is the first reported interaction of buspirone and antiretrovirals. Buspirone, extensively metabolized by CYP3A4, was likely at supratherapeutic levels due to the inhibitory effect of ritonavir and, secondarily, indinavir. The Parkinson-like symptoms developed rapidly and severely, impacted this patient's quality of life, and necessitated significant clinic expenditures to identify this drug–drug interaction. CONCLUSIONS: This case demonstrates a severe drug–drug interaction between buspirone and ritonavir and further demonstrates the need for awareness of the metabolic profile for all agents an HIV-infected patient is receiving.


2020 ◽  
pp. 089719002097075
Author(s):  
Ryan J. Beechinor ◽  
Rachel Tyson ◽  
Mary E. Roth

The objectives of this manuscript are to describe a case report of a patient whose phenelzine maintenance therapy was discontinued due to concern for a phenelzine-morphine drug interaction, to review the available literature regarding the potential for this drug-drug interaction, and provide recommendations for this clinical scenario. A PubMed/MEDLINE literature search was conducted and all publications determined to be relevant to this case report were included. Literature describing in vitro data, case reports/human studies, and review articles concerning the interaction between morphine and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) were included. A total of 14 publications pertinent to the potential phenelzine-morphine interaction were included in this review including 5 in vitro studies, 4 human studies, and 6 review articles detailing the drug interaction profile between opioids and antidepressants. Of these publications, only a single case report of a potential drug interaction between morphine and phenelzine was identified. The literature suggesting a drug interaction between morphine and phenelzine is limited. The combination of phenelzine and morphine, with close monitoring for signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome, is reasonable for patients with appropriate indications for both agents.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathir Yoganathan ◽  
Beth Roberts ◽  
Martyn K Heatley

Drug–drug interactions with corticosteroids, causing Cushing’s syndrome with secondary adrenal suppression, are well known in HIV patients. Corticosteroids are widely prescribed in the HIV-positive population. However, digoxin is rarely used in HIV patients; hence, digoxin toxicity due to drug–drug interaction is not widely recognised. Nevertheless, this practice might change in the future as HIV cohorts of patients are ageing, due to the successful treatment of HIV infection with combination antiretroviral therapy. We report a case of digoxin toxicity in an HIV-positive 51-year-old man, due to a combination of drug–drug interaction and renal impairment. The first case report of digoxin toxicity due to drug–drug interaction with ritonavir in an HIV-positive woman was published in 2003. To the best of our knowledge, no similar case report has since been published in the literature. This case alerts the profession to the importance of drug–drug interaction and highlights the clinical features of digoxin toxicity.


2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. 921-924
Author(s):  
Dr. Shreya R Patel ◽  
◽  
Dr. Harsha D Makwana ◽  
Dr. Kamlesh P Patel ◽  
Dr. Supriya D Malhotra ◽  
...  

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