[Acute respiratory insufficiency associated with the ingestion of central nervous system depressants].

The study of twenty patients with poisoning by central nervous system depressant drugs is reported. The authors emphasized clinical aspects, complications and mainly the lung function impairment. Barbiturates were the most common drugs, at least in 60% of the cases, used alone or in combination with sedatives and tranquilizers. In 55% of patients the amount of the drug ingested could not be measured. In 60% of the cases we didn't know the period of time between drug ingestion by the patients and their admission to the hospital. On admisson all patients were in coma. The coma was of varying degrees and the deeper the coma the worse was lung function and complications were more frequent. Whenever a cardiovascular collapse was present there was also a high mortality rate. The authors emphasized the importance of a follow-up of these patients in intensive care units, mainly with cardiovascular and ventilatory support.