Am J Psychiatry 1981; 138:1089-1091
Copyright © 1981 by American Psychiatric Association
Seizures induced by acute loxapine overdose
CD Peterson
The author reviewed records of 10 patients who had experienced acute
loxapine overdose. The most frequent medical complications were CNS
depression, sinus tachycardia, hypertension, and hypothermia; 6 patients
had had generalized major motor seizures, 1 had had recurrent paroxysmal
atrial tachycardia, and 2 had had transient renal insufficiency from
rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria. Other clinical effects from loxapine
overdose were predominantly anticholinergic. The author recommends that
loxapine-overdose patients receive ECG monitoring and treatment of medical
complications in an intensive care unit.
