Bowel preparation agent inducing profound shock precolonoscopy

Abstract

A 73-year-old woman was admitted to the intensive care unit following vomiting and diarrhoea onset after completing oral bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy to investigate haematochezia. She had a history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Crohn’s disease, diverticular disease, hypertension and dyslipidaemia. She was resuscitated with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and required epinephrine, norepinephrine and vasopressin infusions. She improved over her 4-day intensive care admission and was discharged to the general medical ward, but ultimately died 19 days after presentation.