Podcast 724: Ivermectin Overdose

<p><strong>Contributor: Don Stader, MD</strong></p> <p><strong>Educational Pearls:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ivermectin is a Nobel-Prize winning antiparasitic  used to treat filariasis and onchocerciasis</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ivermectin is receiving press due to a scientific study examining ivermectin on COVID-19 viral replication in vitro, but the dosages needed for this effect were much higher than is safe for human use</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ivermectin has since been studied in humans with no evidence suggesting it is a viable treatment for COVID-19</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ivermectin is a neurotoxin but at normal levels it does not cross the blood-brain barrier</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Ivermectin toxicity can include altered mental status, seizures, coma, tachycardia, hypotension, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Treatment of suspected ivermectin overdose is predominately supportive</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Caly L., Druce J.D., Catton M.G., Jans D.A., Wagstaff K.M. The FDA-approved drug ivermectin inhibits the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Antivir Res. 2020;178:104787. doi: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2020.104787</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">López-Medina E, López P, Hurtado IC, et al. Effect of Ivermectin on Time to Resolution of Symptoms Among Adults With Mild COVID-19: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2021;325(14):1426–1435. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.3071</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Roder JD, Stair EL. An overview of ivermectin toxicosis. Vet Hum Toxicol. 1998;40(6):369-370.</span></p> <p><span style=