Atropine treatment for baclofen overdose.

A healthy 17-year-old girl took a single large dose (420 mg) of baclofen. She was conscious on admission to hospital, but within 3.5 hr of overdose showed signs of marked cerebral, cardiac and respiratory depression, flaccidity and hypothermia. Eight hours after overdose, atropine administered i.v. produced a worth-while increase in cardiac output, ventilation and temperature, lasting for about 90 min. This is of therapeutic and theoretical interest, and supports the veiw that baclofen leads to cholinergic dominance.