Deliberate self-administered insulin overdose causes profound and prolonged hypoglycaemia that may result in life threatening seizures, coma and permanent neurological injury.
References
- Haskell RJ, Stapczynski JS. Duration of hypoglycaemia and need for intravenous glucose following intentional overdoses of insulin. Annals of Emergency Medicine 1984; 13:505-511.
- Megarbane B, Deye N, Bloch V et al. Intentional overdose with insulin: prognostic factors and toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic profiles. Critical Care 2007; 11(5):R115.
About Mike Cadogan
