Is the flumazenil administration diagnosis or treatment? Two case reports

Abstract

Benzodiazepine has the central nervous system (CNS), cardiac and respiratory side effects when intaked more than therapeutic doses. Acute benzodiazepine poisoning may be manifest taken in the form of dizziness, ataxia, nystagmus, dysarthria, hypoxia, hypothermia, hypotension, bradycardia, apnea, pulmonary aspiration, respiratory depression, coma, cardiopulmonary arrest and death. Alprazolam is the most toxic form of benzodiazepines and unless combined with the other CNS depressants such as barbiturates and alcohol, death is rare. When benzodiazepine intoxication is suspected, the next step is flumazenil administration to reverse the CNS and respiratory system depression. In this case report, we aimed to point to the diagnosis and treatment of benzodiazepine intoxications by representing two intoxicated patients with coma. J. Exp. Clin. Med., 2013; 30:395-397