Scenario
A 47 year old man with a history of hypertension and depression has presented to your emergency department following deliberate self poisoning approximately 3hrs ago with 20 x 240mg slow release verapamil tablets.
Question
Describe your management of this patient. (100%)
Answer
FACEM SAQ Exam 2009.1 – Question 3
- The overall pass rate for this question was 62/81 (76.5%).
- Pass Criteria
- The examiners felt that this was a good toxicology question.
- Comprehensive answers took into context the time of presentation and utilized whole bowel irrigation as the decontamination method of choice plus discussed the evidence for other therapies such as activated charcoal, glucose/insulin and glucagon.
- Appropriate disposition, including psychiatric assessment, was deemed mandatory also.
- Features of unsuccessful answers
- Poor answers failed to address the critical nature of this presentation and the indication for whole bowel irrigation.
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