Flumazenil as a diagnostic tool in the differential diagnosis of coma in a critically ill patient

The purpose of this report is to describe the use of flumazenil as a diagnostic aid in the differential diagnosis of coma in a patient with an inadvertent overdose of benzodiazepines. We report a patient with suspected septic encephalopathy whose level of consciousness markedly improved following flumazenil administration. Subsequent analysis revealed the presence of benzodiazepines and their metabolites in the blood and urine although the patient had not received benzodiazepines for over two weeks. The critically ill patient with multiorgan failure may have considerable derangement of benzodiazepine metabolism; therefore, if an obtunded patient’s level of consciousness improves following flumazenil administration, benzodiazepine intoxication must be considered.