Calcium channel blockers clinical presentation

Overdose is common amongst users (up to 22% of heavy users report losing consciousness). The desired euphoria and excitement turns to acute fear, with psychotic symptoms, convulsions, hypertension, haemorrhagic storke, tachycardia, arrhythmias, hyperthermia coronary vasospasm (sufficient to present as the acute coronary syndrome with chest pain and myocardial infarction) may occur, and acute left ventricular dysfunction. Treatment is chosen according to the clinical picture (and the known mode of action), from amongst, e.g. haloperidol (rather than chlorpromazine) for mental disturbance diazepam for convulsions a vasodilator, e.g. a calcium channel blocker, for hypertension glyceryl trinitrate for myocardial ischaemia (but not a p-... 

Unlike the situation with ephedra, in many cases we simply have no idea what the components do. The constituents of some herbal drugs seem to work synergistically and cannot be separated without loss of activity of the preparation. Herbal preparations are most often used as crude mixtures and are not standardized or analyzed for the content of the active principlc(s). Hence, the chemistry of medicinal herbs cannot be treated in the same way as that of. say. a pure antibiotic or a calcium channel blocker. The medicinal chemistry of the actions, interactions, and side effects of herbal products is complex and difficult to assess clinically and chemically. Frequently, some of the compounds present... 

CLINICAL PRESENTATION OE CALCIUM CHANNEL BLOCKER POISONING... 

---