Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0011570 (depression)
 172,036 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

A 77-year-old woman who had undergone surgery of a non-malignant extracerebral retro-orbital tumor suffered postoperatively from respiratory failure due to impaired respiratory drive and unconsciousness of unknown origin and required artificial ventilation for 14 days. After cerebral and endocrinological causes had been excluded, the residual effects of diazepam were taken into consideration, since the patient had received this substance for premedication and during 3 days postoperatively (total 165 mg). After the application of flumazenil (Anexate), a specific benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, she awoke immediately and was extubated with sufficient spontaneous breathing. The hypothesis that diazepam was the causative agent for the respiratory failure and impaired consciousness was supported by the detection of high serum concentrations of diazepam and its active metabolite desmethyldiazepam. During the following 3 days repetitive injections of flumazenil were necessary to counteract recurring depression of respiration and vigilance. Thereafter further application of flumazenil was not necessary.
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PMID:[Extreme duration of action of diazepam as a cause of respiratory insufficiency in a female geriatric patient]. 139 57

Flumazenil (Lanexat) is the first specific benzodiazepine-antagonist for clinical use. In several controlled investigations, a significant rapidly commencing antagonistic effect on the central effects of benzodiazepines has been demonstrated. Flumazenil possesses only slight side effects which may easily be treated. The immediate indications for employing flumazenil are reversal of the sedation caused by benzodiazepines in outpatients and treatment of cases of poisoning. In addition, flumazenil could be employed to reverse sedation produced by benzodiazepines during general anaesthesia and prolonged sedation in intensive care units. The following should be observed on employing flumazenil: 1. Flumazenil should be administered by slow meticulous titration. 2. The relatively short half-life of flumazenil provides the possibility for partial return of CNS depression. 3. In cases of mixed poisoning, flumazenil may unmask the effects of possible seizure-producing drugs. 4. Care should be employed in using flumazenil in chronic benzodiazepine abusers.
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PMID:[Flumazenil. A specific benzodiazepine antagonist]. 250 84