Abstract
Cases of caffeine toxicosis from overdose have recently been increasingly seen because caffeine is available in a wide variety of over-the-counter formulations, including beverages, appetite suppressants, anti-common cold medications, and various combination analgesic preparations in Japan. We report two cases with caffeine overdose who survived as a result of our treatment. Case 1: A 34-year-old female was admitted to our emergency and critical care center in a state of cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). We concluded the CPA was caused by an overdose of caffeine in a cold medicine. Case 2: A 33-year-old male took 240 tablets, each of which contained 100mg of caffeine in a suicide attempt. Potentially fatal arrhythmias occurred with resistance to vascular medications in both cases. We performed gastric lavage and administered activated charcoal. Specifically, hemoadsorption treatment was added in Case 2. This resulted in the rapid disappearance of the arrhythmia, hypertension and other symptoms of caffeine poisoning. Therefore, hemoadsorption was suggested as the most beneficial treatment for caffeine toxicosis.
