A Case of Barbiturate Poisoning with a Readily-Accessible Laboratory Reagent

Abstract

We report a patient with barbiturate intoxication due to surreptitious ingestion of barbital buffer from a clinical laboratory. Although detected in the urine toxicology screening test using an immunologic technique, this agent was not recognized in the more specific serum analysis done by gas-liquid chromatography. Barbital buffer is an effective long-acting sedative-hypnotic and is widely available from the laboratory shelf. It may not be reported by very specific analytical methods.

Key Words:

• barbiturates
• poisoning
• human
• barbital