MANAGEMENT OF GHB INTOXICATION AND WITHDRAWAL IN GENERAL HOSPITALS
Netherlands 
Disclosure : Ricardo Teijeiro has participated in research financed by AstraZeneca, Lundbeck, Lilly, Organon, Janssen –Cilag. He has been member of advisory boards of AstraZeneca, Organon, Janssen-Cilag, and Servier.
Jan-Gerrit Upmeijer has particiaped in research financed by AstaZeneca and Organon. He has been member of advisory boards of Organon, AstraZeneca, and Servier.
The present publication is not in any way connected with the pharmaceutical industry and has not been subsidized in any form.
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7 slide(s) – English – 2011-03-14
Gamma- hydroxybutyric acid, GHB, is physically as well as psychologically seriously addictive. The usual dosage lies between 0.5-3 ml . An exponential increase of the use of GHB is being reported in all European countries. A small overdose can rapidly lead to serious toxicity. The clinical manifestation of GHB-intoxication resembles that of an alcohol intoxication. Because of this resemblance the GHB intoxication is often mistaken in the Emergency Unit. The treatment of an acute GHB intoxication is only supportive. Antidotes are not effective.
GHB withdrawal requires medical emergency treatment. In the last year 12 patients with a GHB withdrawal syndrome were being treated with “Medicinal GHB of the General Hospital. Three patients needed ICU treatment because of extreme agitation (two cases) and severe dehydration (one case). One patient left the hospital after 2 days. In all other cases there were no complications during the treatment.
Most occurring problems were tremor, tachycardy, perspiration, hypertension, anxiety, agitation, nausea/vomiting, paranoid thoughts, hallucinations, and delirium.
The same strategy can be used in a planned detoxification
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