Clinical Toxicology Treatment in India

Patient Name: Emma Sharma. Age: 68...

Patient Name: Emma Sharma. Age: 68. Background: A retired school librarian living alone, with a history of well-managed hypertension and mild osteoarthritis. Story: Over the past three weeks, Emma developed progressive, debilitating confusion, severe tremors in her hands, and intermittent nausea. She had no fever. Her concerned daughter, who visited weekly, noted her mother was misplacing items and repeating questions. Initially attributed to possible early dementia or a UTI, standard tests were negative. A meticulous medication review by her internist, Dr. Chen, revealed Emma had been accidentally taking double doses of her blood pressure medication, amlodipine, for over a month after misreading her new pill organizer. Dr. Chen recommended a Clinical Toxicology consultation to assess for medication toxicity and rule out other toxic exposures. The experience involved a detailed history from Emma and her daughter, a focused physical exam noting the specific tremor, and confirmatory blood tests showing a toxic level of amlodipine. The toxicology team provided immediate management with IV fluids and monitoring, and created a new, foolproof medication system. Post-procedure, Emma's confusion cleared within 48 hours, and her tremors subsided over a week. Her medication was correctly re-titrated. Emotionally, Emma was initially frightened and embarrassed by her cognitive decline. After the diagnosis, she felt profound relief that it was reversible and not dementia, but also vulnerable. The support from the toxicology team transformed her fear into gratitude and a renewed sense of control over her health.