Atropine treatment for baclofen overdose

Abstract

A healthy 17-year-old girl took a single large dose (420 mg) of baclofen. She was conscious on admission to hospital, but within 3-5 hr of overdose showed signs of marked cerebral, cardiac and respiratory depression, flaccidity and hypothermia. Eight hours after overdose, atropine administered i.v. produced a worth-while increase in cardiac output, ventilation and temperature, lasting for about 90 min. This is of therapeutic and theoretical interest, and supports the view that baclofen leads to cholinergic dominance. © 1981 The Fellowship of Postgraduate Medicine.