Theophylline overdose Control of vomiting with ranitidine: 2 case reports

A 34-year-old woman who had ingested 50 slow release theophyll ine 300mg tablets and a 5-month-old boy who received an IV loading dose of aminophylline of 60 mg/kg were given IV ranitidine 50 and 16mg, respectively, to control emesis . The woman , who had a sinus tachycardia of 140 beats/min and appeared agitated, received droperidol 2.5mg twice and, at 8-hourly intervals , 2 further doses of rantidine . Subsequently, she was able to receive magnesium citrate and 9 doses of activated charcoal 15gj hour Similarly. the Infant was able to tolerate magnesium citrate and 3 doses of oral activated charcoal (the first given at the same time as the IV ranitidine) because of ranitidine adminisJrruinn ..

In both patients , the serum theophylline concentration and theophylline elimination half-life dropped rapidly following the administration of oral activated charcoal. The symptoms experienced by both patients also resolved . The authors concluded that 'the combined use of ranitidine and droperidol in patient 1 and the use of ranitidine alone in patient 2 controlled vomiting and thus enabled the patients to tolerate repeated doses of activated charcoal'. Amltal Y. Yeung AC. Maye J. Lovejoy Jr FH Annals of Internal Medicine 105. 386-387. Sep 1986

0157-7271 / 86/ 1004-0011 / 0$01.00/ 0 © ADIS Press Reactions® 4 Oct 1986 11