|
Description:
|
|
Contributor: Erik Verzemnieks, MD Educational Pearls: - Baclofen is used to treat muscle spasms or spasticity.
- Baclofen comes in two forms: oral and intrathecal
- Withdrawal is much more common with those receiving intrathecal administration from a Baclofen pump, which is typically spinal cord patients
- Withdrawal symptoms usually start within 1-3 days after stopping baclofen
- Symptoms include altered mental status, muscle rigidity, and fevers, which can mimic other severe illnesses
- It is nearly impossible to reverse withdrawal symptoms with oral baclofen if a patient is receiving it intrathecally, so solving the pump problem is key
References Ross JC, Cook AM, Stewart GL, Fahy BG. Acute intrathecal baclofen withdrawal: a brief review of treatment options. Neurocrit Care. 2011 Feb;14(1):103-8. doi: 10.1007/s12028-010-9422-6. PMID: 20717751. Summarized by Jackson Roos, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD  The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at www.emergencymedicalminute.com/cme-courses/ and create an account. |