Acute zolpidem poisoning--analysis of 344 cases.

Zolpidem is a new short acting hypnotic agent, first launched in France in 1988. Three hundred forty-four cases of intentional acute overdoses are reviewed retrospectively. Patients were predominantly female (70%) in their third or fourth decade.

Acute fluvoxamine poisoning.

A total of 221 cases of deliberate acute overdose with fluvoxamine reported to the Paris Poison Centre, and 78 cases collected by the International Drug Safety Department of Duphar BV were analysed. Other agents, mainly benzodiazepines, neuroleptics, other antidepressants and alcohol, were also taken in 77% of the cases. The acute toxicity that could be attributed to fluvoxamine alone was rarely severe.

[Acute poisoning by scilliroside].

A 43-year-old man, with no history of cardiac disease, deliberately ingested 4 tablets of a rodenticide containing 12 mg of scilliroside. Vomiting appeared a few minutes later and persisted for 48 hours. At the 20th hour, when he was admitted, EKG revealed a complete atrio-ventricular block which disappeared only on the 4th day.