TREATMENT OF ACUTE PARACETAMOL POISONING

Abstract

Five cases of acute self-poisoning with paracetamol, one of them fatal, are described. The clinical effects included electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial damage, hypoalbuminæmia, a bleeding state, and liver-cell damage; necropsy findings included massive liver necrosis, renal distal tubular necrosis, and cerebral œdema. The treatment favoured is immediate gastric lavage, forced diuresis, intravenous hydrocortisone, and an antihistamine. Ordinary dialysis is of no value, although the addition of plasma to the dialysate might be beneficial.