Acute barbiturate poisoning in young epileptics

Two young epileptic patients presenting in coma with focal neurological signs were found to be suffering from unsuspected acute barbiturate overdose. There had been strenuous denial of any possibility of psychiatric disturbance or of self-poisoning in the history obtained from their parents at the time of admission. The importance of excluding deliberate drug overdose in any young epileptic patient presenting with prolonged or atypical coma is re-emphasized.