Current Aspects in Lipophilic Drug Toxicity

Current Aspects in Lipophilic Drug Toxicity Initially, the toxicity findings of bupivacain, which is used as a local anesthesic of the amide group, could be treated by lipid emulsions. The animal studies in this issue supported the "Lipid Sink" theory. By this method, lipid emulsions act by sinking the lipho-filic toxic substances by locking on these in the emulsion as a deposit. Lipid emulsions are used in the overdose of calcium channel blockers, beta adrenergic receptor blockers, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, some antipsychotic drugs and organophosphate poisoning, with satisfactory recovery of patients in Emergency Medicine. Experimental, controlled human studies could not be performed due to ethic issues, but the usage of lipid emulsions were the main treatment of resuscitation without any severe side effects in the animal studies and the cases published in the literature. Consequently, the lipid emulsions are the current agents in lipophilic drug toxicity, even in unresponsive patients managed with traditional cardiopulmonary resuscitation modalities in Emergency Department.