May 25, 2012
Topics A-Z Brain and Nervous System Coma due to GHB and alcohol overdose.
Coma due to GHB and alcohol overdose. |
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Dear Ask The Doctor: A friend of mine overdosed on GHB and alcohol, entered a coma and stopped breathing for about ten minutes. He was admitted to an ICU soon after, and intubated. It's been seven days since. For about two to three days, while he was in an intermediate care unit, he appeared to be coming out of the coma, opening his eyes, even responding to jokes by a sort of laugh, but unable to talk. Last night, he was readmitted to the ICU and reintubated, presumably because of a chest infection. My question is: is such a long time for recovery from a GHB and alcohol induced coma usual? Or does the length indicate severe brain damage due to cerebral anoxia (the doctors have yet to perform an MRI; apparently they can't because he has a fever)? Thank you in advance for reading this. Dear Ken: The coma and symptoms that your friend has is dependent on the amount of GHB and alcohol he ingested as that would determine the time it takes for the body to metabolise it and flush it out of the system. Moreover since he took GHB and alcohol together one would except the recovery time and coma to be of a longer duration.One would also have to keep a look at his blood alcohol content.There is also a chance that his brain may have been damaged to some extent since you said he stopped breathing for about 10 minutes thus leading to cerebral anoxia due to lack of oxygen reaching the brain. It is hard at this point to say when he will come out of the coma . |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 13 March 2011 ) |
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