Am J Psychiatry 1987; 144:159-163
Copyright © 1987 by American Psychiatric Association
"Doom anxiety" and delirium in lidocaine toxicity
SM Saravay, J Marke, MD Steinberg and CJ Rabiner
Of 15 patients with psychiatric reactions to lidocaine, 12 (80%) had mood
changes, 11 (73%) had "doom anxiety," eight (53%) had overt confusional
states, and six (40%) had hallucinations and delusions. The authors contend
that morbid fears of impending doom or the belief that death has occurred
are specific manifestations of lidocaine toxicity and may be mistakenly
attributed to "understandable" fears about death during the course of
recovery from a myocardial infarction on the coronary care unit.
