BACKGROUND:

Cocaine intoxication is a common cause of agitation in emergency department patients. Ziprasidone, an atypical antipsychotic, is being increasingly used for sedation of agitated patients in the emergency department.

OBJECTIVES:

To provide preliminary animal data on the efficacy of ziprasidone for the treatment of acute cocaine poisoning.

METHODS:

This was a randomized, blinded comparison of ziprasidone and placebo for the prevention of seizures and apparent lethality in a mouse model of cocaine intoxication. Animals were assigned to either placebo or 0.4 mg/kg or 1.2 mg/m(2) of ziprasidone intraperitoneally 30 minutes prior to administration of 105 mg/kg of cocaine. Study outcomes were the proportions of animals having seizures and the apparent lethality.

RESULTS:

1.2 mg/m(2) of ziprasidone decreased the lethal effects of cocaine by 50%, while 0.4 mg/kg decreased lethality by 13%. There was no effect on seizures at either dose.

CONCLUSIONS:

Ziprasidone pretreatment decreased lethality in this mouse model of severe cocaine intoxication.