The theory of sedative over-dose is over simplistic- It’s almost never fatal?

Question

The relative safety of the benzodiazepines (Sedatives) is most clearly evident in cases of overdose. Even massive overdoses, if taken without other CNS depressants, are almost never fatal
http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000172/CH168.html

Sedatives are Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants. At worst you go in a coma, your heart does not just stop! You don’t just drop dead. Even in children

Justme,
You just don't know what you are talking about frankly. People who die from overdose they usually commit suicide (Deliberate) - Not accidental!
They mix it up with other drugs/Alcohol to end their lives.

Why don't you just read the link I've provided!

Faith,
I agree with you.

obanpussyginger,
I agree with you. Very rare scenario though!

little weed,
I suppose so

tillytravis,
1. Then this was the first time she was given the drug
2. Severe allergic reaction causing death is rare
3. Would have happened immediately not later on

We are talking here about a theory, if it is to be convincing, it should be beyond reasonable doubt or at least probable. Not only possible!

Answer 1

Hi Toi et moi, but the thing I thought, and I did mention it once to you, was that if the bottle (syrup) was left out, maybe she took it all by herself?
If the syrup is a nice flavour i.e strawberry? I know my two want strawberry calpol, and if I only have orange their headaches mysteriously vanish! Because they like the taste of the one not the other.
I do not know the answer, if indeed its hard to overdose, it depends on the drug, the dosage, the facts really, i suppose.
I am still quite convinced its a fair line of enquiry.


*edit* just a thought? Does the amount of alcohol in the administrators blood bear any effect on their ability to correctly judge the dosage?

Answer 2

I agree - it is oversimplistic ... however, if all the evidence is pointing towards Madeleine having died accidentally, within the apartment (as it currently seems to be), then there would have to be some reason why the McCanns did not just call an ambulance.

It cannot be that the children had been left alone - they have had to admit that anyway.

So why was it? The obvious reason is that there was something about the body which would not stand up to a post mortem - but what?

Sedatives (unprescribed and not something which it could be claimed that Madeleine had found and taken by accident)?

Abuse (either physical or sexual)

Personally I would prefer to go with the sedative option.

You are right in saying that most sedatives, in overdose, would lead at worst to coma - but people can, and do, have unexpected reactions, and not just allergic ones.

I, for example, cannot be given Morphine or opiate based pain killers/sedatives ... I'm not allergic to them as such but they make me crazy. When given them immediately after major surgery, I climbed over high cot sides and started to leave the hospital... whilst trailing wound drains, a catheter and two drip lines, which I ripped out. It took six staff to get me back into bed apparently - but I only remember brief flashes of it.

If something like this happened to Madeleine, then she could easily have had a fatal accident, but having drugs in her bloodstream that could not be explained away, would be a powerful reason for concealing her death.

Answer 3

Benzodiazepines are just one in a large family of sedatives available and used for calming the nerves mainly. Barbiturates, more commonly used and also the drug of choice for your average junkie, aren't as 'pleasant'.

You also fail to mention the fact, as stated in your super duper article, that the risk of overdoes of the newer strains of this drug are not yet known.

I quote:

Because sedatives depress the central nervous system and brain functions, an overdose can cause unconsciousness, respiratory failure and death. All sedatives can be dangerous when they are not taken according to directions.

Take your rose tinted glasses off.

EDIT - And despite popular beleif, doctors aren't as clued up as you would like to think when it comes to doses required. Pharmacists are the experts there and I am sure I am not alone in knowing of people who have went to the Pharmacists with their perscriptions from the Doctors only to be told they have been perscribed either the wrong thing or the wrong dose. Doctors know what is wrong and what treats it but pharmacists have the expert knowledge of what drugs cause ill effects when taken with other drugs and what dose should be taken. So the argument 'they are doctors they know what to do' doesn't wash with me.

Answer 4

Yes but you are speculating that she gave the kids the correct amount. How do you know how much sedative was adminiatered. In any case the children should not have been l;eft alone in the house whilst the parents were all jollying themselves up at the local pub. Also what about this latest report of there being more children in the room. Were they all sedated, did one of them hurt Maddie. The sooner the Mc Canns and the rest of the Tapas 9 start telling the truth as to what really happened that night, the sooner we will get to the bottom of this mess.

Answer 5

I can't agree, Toe-et-moi. While it's certainly uncommon, it does happen. Children, especially younger children need monitoring if sedated, as unfortunately accidents can happen, with awful consequences...Here's a link to a report issued relating to the problems encountered with administering valium to children for dental work; it's worth noting the other 'incidents' encountered which were treated on the spot - if they hadn't been, the children may also have died:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16035289/
Mind you, I don't want to believe that the McCanns sedated the children - so far I'm not convinced that they did.
P.S. What Jane Doe is referring to is a paradoxical reaction to a drug - in other words, a person may react in a manner opposite to that expected - also uncommon, but it happens.

Answer 6

if the child was drugged, it wasn't the first time; repetitive use of anything on a young heart and nervous system can be fatal; children can have an allergic reaction ; if drugs were a walk in the park, there wouldn't be warning labels all over them; you have athletes who fall dead on a field and their parents never knew of heart defects , complications etc; you haven't been in the legal field where we see all kinds of deaths from even the simplest of things; we are talking about a small child not a grown adult

Answer 7

Quite a few options and we don't know:
Allergic reaction.
To much quantity.
Overdose to death.
Overdose to faint.
Overdose to loose control of the body.
Overdose to create panic reaction.

I don't need your pharmaceutic sales man opinion to know that one of this things could have happened.
And nothing would happen for sure if they were NORMAL PARENTS.
In addition you can have a look on the following:

Answer 8

But you can die choking of vomit after being over sedated, especially if you are 4 years old.
Anyway, sedating children, even you know the right amount, just to go to a booz night, is disguting enough.

Answer 9

Would that apply to a 4 year old child.

What about the death occurring from inhalation of mucus or vomit when the person is unconscious.

Answer 10

An overdose may almost never be fatal, but what about an allergic reaction to a drug?