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Attempted suicide by Melatonin overdose: Case report and literature review

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 September 2022

T. Gutierrez Higueras ,
F. Calera Cortés ,
A. Trives Muñoz ,
S. Vicent Forés  and
S. Sainz De La Cuesta Alonso
T. Gutierrez Higueras*
Affiliation:
Reina Sofia University Hospital, Psychiatry, Córdoba, Spain
F. Calera Cortés
Affiliation:
Hospital Reina Sofía Córdoba, Psychiatry, Cordoba, Spain
A. Trives Muñoz
Affiliation:
Reina Sofia University Hospital, Psychiatry, Córdoba, Spain
S. Vicent Forés
Affiliation:
Hospital Reina Sofía Córdoba, Psychiatry, Córdoba, Spain
S. Sainz De La Cuesta Alonso
Affiliation:
Hospital Reina Sofía Córdoba, Psychiatry, Cordoba, Spain
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Melatonine (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an endogenous neurohormone produced by pineal gland. It is related to sleep-wake circadian rhythms, and nowdays it is sold without prescription as a “natural treatment” for sleep disorders. Most common side effects of melatonin overdose are drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, headache, confusion, nightmare, hypotension, tachycardia and hypothermia. Supportive measures and control of vital signs are essential for an early discharge of the patient.

Objectives

To present a case of an 42-year-old woman who was taken to the emergency department after voluntary ingestion of 60 tables of melatonin 2mg (Total amount 120mg), in a suicide attempt. To describe the most common side effects of melatonine overdose a the literature review.

Methods

Clinical case presentation and retrospective literature review.

Results

A 42-year-old woman who was taken to the emergency department after voluntary ingestion of 60 tables of melatonin 2mg (Total amount 120mg), about 1 hour before coming, in a suicide attempt. After clinical evalutation, gastric lavage was performed. ang 50g activated charcoal given. Drowiness and mild hypothermia (34ºC) was detected. After 12 hours of vital signs observation the patient was discharged and to psychiatry consultation, where depressive mood disorder and chronic insomnia was diagnosed.

Conclusions

Melatonin is one of the least toxic medication. Most common side effects of overdose are drowsiness, dizziness, fatigue, headache, confusion, nightmare, hypotension, tachycardia and hypothermia. Supportive measures and control of vital signs are essential for the treatment.

Disclosure

No significant relationships.

Keywords

emergencymelatonineSuicideoverdose
Type
Abstract
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 65 , Special Issue S1: Abstracts of the 30th European Congress of Psychiatry , June 2022 , pp. S836 - S837
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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