Cardiac arrest in an adolescent following an overdose of antidepressants comprising sertraline, quetiapine fumarate, and lamotrigine: Case report

Antidepressant overdose is a prevalent method of self-harm in patients with depression including bipolar disorder. According to the published literature, typical adverse effects are seizures, prolonged QT intervals, and arrhythmias, with cardiotoxicity primarily observed in adults. This paper reports the first documented case of an 11-year-old adolescent with depression who ingested a massive overdose comprising sertraline (60 tablets at 50 mg, giving a total dose of 3 g), quetiapine fumarate (50 tablets at 100 mg giving a total dose of 5 g) and lamotrigine (120 tablets at 25 mg giving a total dose of 3 g). At ~ 4 hours post ingestion, the patient developed hypoxemia, hypotension, persistent seizures, resulting in cardiac arrest. This case report offers critical insights into the clinical management of such cases involving pediatric populations.