Emergency Medical Minute Podcast 604: Baclofen Withdrawal
Oct 13, 2020
02:42
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
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