Clonidine toxicity
Posted by dkwinter

Resembles opioid toxicity
Sx
     Hypotension
     Bradycardia
     Altered mental status
     Respiratory depression
     Miosis
Mechanism
     Primarily a presynaptic CNS alpha2-agonist (which prevents release of synaptic vesicles), inhibiting sympathetic outflow, which results primarily in a reduction of sympathetically mediated vasoconstriction, cardiac inotropy, and chronotropy.
     Also has peripheral alpha1-agonist activity, which may produce transient vasoconstriction and hypertension early in overdose when peripheral drug levels may be transiently higher than levels in the CNS.