The Epidemiology of Ipecac Abuse

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Abstract
To the Editor: Syrup of ipecac, long a staple of the medicine chest in families with small children, has saved many lives through its ability to induce emesis. However, recent reports in both the scientific1 2 3 4 5 and popular press6 have described severe myopathy and even death in persons with anorexia nervosa and bulimia who regularly used ipecac to induce vomiting. Whether these deaths are primarily attributable to ipecac or to other factors, such as starvation-induced prolongation of the Q-T interval,7 remains unclear. Nevertheless, postmortem examinations of several victims — including noted singer Karen Carpenter6 — have revealed substantial tissue concentrations of . . .