Citation

Dhooria S, Behera D, Agarwal R. BMJ Case Rep. 2015; 2015(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2015, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/bcr-2015-210296

PMID

26430228

Abstract

Amitraz is used as an ectoparasiticide for dogs and cattle. Human poisoning due to amitraz may be misdiagnosed as organophosphate/carbamate (OPC) toxicity, since amitraz poisoning shares several clinical features (miosis, bradycardia and hypotension) encountered with OPC poisoning. A 19-year-old man with an alleged history of suicidal ingestion of a pesticide presented with drowsiness and was found to have constricted pupils, hypotension and bradycardia. He was diagnosed as a case of OPC poisoning and was treated with atropine and pralidoxime prior to presentation to our centre. Absence of a hypersecretory state, and the presence of hyperglycaemia and hypothermia along with a normal serum cholinesterase level suggested an alternate possibility. Retrieval of the poison container confirmed the diagnosis of amitraz poisoning. The patient made a rapid recovery with supportive management. Clinician awareness is key to successful management of this poisoning, which carries a good prognosis.

Language: en