EAJAIC
Eurasian Journal of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care

The Eurasian Journal of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care (EAJAIC) is an independent-unbiased, peer-reviewed, "double-blind", and open-access journal of current national and international issues and reviews for original clinical and experimental research, interesting case reports, differential diagnoses, editorial opinions, letters to the editor, and educational papers in anesthesiology, algology, and intensive care medicine.

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A case report of quetiapine intoxication in our intensive care unit and literature review
Abstract
Quetiapine is one of the atypical antipsychotic drugs that is widely used especially in psychiatric practice. There are case reports of quetiapine overdose in the literature. In this article, we present the case of intensive care management of an adult male patient after high dose quetiapine intake with the help of the current literature. A systematic literature review was conducted along with the case report. PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched for "quetiapine intoxication" and 25 articles were found. Of the twenty-one quetiapine overdose articles, 1963 cases were identified. The mean age of the cases was 34.5 years and the intoxication was predominantly female. The patients were more likely to have a diagnosis of depression. The mean dose was determined as 9.6 g. The most common neurological findings were coma and accompanying seizures. Cardiovascular (CVS) findings included tachycardia, hypotension and QTc prolongation. Since quetiapine does not have an active antidote, activated charcoal and gastric lavage were usually applied after the patients applied to the emergency department. Intubation was required in severe cases. Mortality was 31 in 1693 cases (1%). 3 patients used alcohol together with quetiapine. Rhabdomyolysis developed in 14 patients. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) developed in 2 patients and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) due to quetiapine use in 1 patient. In a case report, carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) elevation was detected as a result of the use of quetiapine together with zolpidem. Conclusion: In cases of quetiapine intoxication, patients should be monitored in the ICU due to the development of life-threatening conditions due to the neurological, cardiovascular and renal system effects of the drug. There is no specific antidote. Therefore, patients may need supportive treatments. This study was associated with significant toxicity and dangerous complications in quetiapine overdose. In more severe overdose cases, careful and often prolonged clinical observation is required.

Keywords : Quetiapine intoxication, intensive care unit, suicide

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Article available in :
Volume 2, Issue 4, 2025
Page : 129-133
https://doi.org/10.51271/EAJAIC-0043
Article Information
Received : 28 Ağu 2025
Accepted : 06 Eki 2025
Published : 13 Kas 2025
Corresponding Author :

Nazan Yıldız: Department of Anaesthesiology and Reanimation, Kırklareli Training and Research Hospital, Kırklareli, Turkiye

[email protected]
Citation : Yıldız N, Karadayı S, Göktürk A, Andıran Şenaylı Y. A case report of quetiapine intoxication in our intensive care unit and literature review . Eur J Anesthesiol Intens Care. 2025;2(4):129-133.

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