| [ Summary ] |
Indications for performing blood purification in patients with phenobarbital or acetaminophen poisoning were retrospectively analized. Most patients having drug overdoses can be adequately treated with general supportive care, cathartics, and activated charcoal. Forced alkaline diuresis is generally effective for phenobarbital intoxication. In severely compromised patients, with high serum phenobar bital levels, both hemodialysis and direct hemoperfusion were quite effective. The procedure was associated with a rapid fall in serum levels and a dramatic improvement in patient's clinical condition. On the contrary, in cases of acetaminophen poisoning, N-acetyl cysteine antidotal therapy is the standard treatment in order to prevent hepatic injury. Though a few cases, presenting the effectiveness of hemodialysis or hemoperfusion have been previously reported, extracorporeal therapy is not necessary for most patients with acetaminophen poisoning because of it's rapid metabolism. |