Case Report Article
Introduction :
The Yew Tree (Taxus Baccata) is an evergreen tree native to Europe. In the UK it is often found in churchyards due to their historic link with immortality and death (1). Another possible reason was to deter farmers from grazing their livestock on church grounds, as the Yew Tree is extremely poisonous (1). The taxine alkaloids contained in the seeds, needles and bark can produce a lethal dose at even small quantities via cardiogenic shock (2). Accidental consumption in non-lethal quantities is common in children (3) but only a few cases of attempting suicide by ingestion have been reported, most frequently with lethal outcomes (3, 4, 5). Here we discuss the case of a 17-year-old male who presented with acute cardiogenic shock with a ventricular escape rhythm following ingestion of Yew Tree seeds, with a non-lethal outcome.