CASE REPORT   

Minerva Medicolegale 2017 June;137(2):52-5

DOI: 10.23736/S0026-4849.17.01765-5

Copyright © 2017 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

A fatal case of intoxication after an unsuspected combined intake of verapamil and atenolol

Gian L. MARELLA ¹, Valeria OTTAVIANO ², Carmelo FURNARI ², Silvestro MAURIELLO ², Luigi T. MARSELLA ² ✉

¹ Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; ² Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) and β-blockers are used, combined or individually, in the treatment of hypertension, angina pectoris, cardiac arrhythmias, and other disorders. However, cardiogenic shock has been reported as a rare complication associated with the combination of verapamil and β-blockers that can be resolved by medical intervention. We describe the case of a 35-year-old woman who developed a fatal cardiogenic shock after an unintentional overdose of verapamil (calcium channel blocker) and atenolol (β blocker) that was discovered only after autopsy and toxicological analyses.

KEY WORDS: Verapamil - Atenolol - Intoxication - Cardiogenic shock - Forensic toxicology