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.