Phenergan Toxicity Allegedly Causes Cardiac Arrest and Death

Case Overview

This case involves a twenty-seven-year-old patient that presented to the emergency department complaining of nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting associated with a severe cough. He was treated with Promethazine, Dilaudid, Zofran, Ultram, Pantoprazole, Fentanyl, and Phenergan. Additionally, he was given a prescription for Phenergan upon discharge from the emergency room. The patient returned to the emergency room two days later with the same complaints. He was treated with Hydromorphone, Prochlorperazine, and Pantoprazole. Once again, he was discharged without an extensive workup to rule out life-threatening cardiac or respiratory disease. Three days after the final discharge, the patient was found dead in his home. Contributing factors to his death included the lethal combination of Phenergan, Hydrocodone, and Diphenhydramine.