Triazolam drug overdose

Drug overdose A 76-year-old woman died after taking a combination of triazolam and promazine in overdose [39 ]. Post-mortem triazolam and promazine concentrations were respectively blood 1100 and 3450 ng/ml gastric contents 1300 and 5800 ng/ml. 

Fatalities due to acute BZD overdose alone are extremely rare. Nevertheless, fatal overdoses with triazolam in the elderly have been reported ( 192, 193). Even with ingestion of massive doses, recovery appears to be rapid and without serious complications or aftereffects ( 194, 195, 196 and 197). Combined ingestion of BZDs with other CNS depressants (alcohol, barbiturates, narcotics, orTCAs), however, may result in severe CNS and respiratory depression or hypotension. Severity of symptoms appears to depend more on the type and quantity of the other drugs than on the BZD plasma level (194, 195, 196 and 197). 

II. Toxic dose. In general, the toxic therapeutic ratio for benzodiazepines is very high. For example, oral overdoses of diazepam have been reported in excess of 15-20 times the therapeutic dose without serious depression of consciousness. On the other hand, respiratory arrest has been report after ingestion of 5 mg of triazolam and after rapid Intravenous injection of diazepam, midazolam, and many other benzodiazepines. Also, ingestion of another drug with CNS-depres-sant properties (eg, ethanol, barbiturates, opioids, etc) will likely produce additive effects. 

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