ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Published Online: 1 January 1979
Page Count: 11

Correlates of Outcome Following Acute Glutethimide Overdosage
Noel, BJ

Greenblatt, DJ
Chief, research nurse, Massachusetts General Hospital,

Harmatz, JS
Research psychologist and chief, Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, Massachusetts Mental Health Center,

Allen, MD
Chief, research nurse, Massachusetts General Hospital,

Shader, RI
Research psychologist and chief, Psychopharmacology Research Laboratory, Massachusetts Mental Health Center,

(Received 31 March 1978; accepted 31 May 1978)

Abstract

Glutethimide was introduced as a hypnotic agent in the United States in the mid-1950s. Shortly thereafter it became evident that overdosage with glutethimide could readily produce serious and fatal intoxication [1–3]. Numerous subsequent studies demonstrate that the sleep-inducing efficacy of glutethimide is no greater than that of many other drugs, including some that are clearly safer [4–13]. Furthermore, glutethimide continues to be a popular agent of self-poisoning, with an associated high morbidity and mortality [11,13–23]. Despite the obvious hazards and disadvantages of glutethimide, it is still widely used in clinical practice. An estimated 2.7 million prescriptions for glutethimide were dispensed at American retail pharmacies in 1975.

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Paper ID: JFS10792J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS10792J
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