Abstract
Background
Clenbuterol is a long-acting β-adrenergic agonist that is not Food and Drug Administration–approved
for use in the United States, but may be obtained without a prescription from various
unregulated sellers. It has seen increasing use as a performance-enhancing drug for
sports. Literature on pediatric toxicity and treatment is limited.
Case Report
We report a case of a 2-year-old female presenting after an exploratory ingestion
of clenbuterol.
Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?
Use of performance-enhancing agents is increasing and physicians should be aware of
the potential toxicity of intentional and unintentional ingestions of β-adrenergic
agonists. Patients may exhibit nausea, vomiting, tremor, tachycardia, and hypotension,
along with laboratory abnormalities, including hyperglycemia, hypophosphatemia, hypokalemia,
and hyperglycemia. Hypotension might not respond to adrenergic agents and may require
administration of β-adrenergic antagonists to maintain adequate perfusion.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: September 04, 2019
Accepted:
June 15,
2019
Received in revised form:
June 3,
2019
Received:
April 18,
2019
Footnotes
Drs. Bonney, Hatten, and Wang contributed to the writing of the manuscript. All authors approved the final manuscript as submitted and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
