Two men were taken to the Penang Hospital emergency ward when they fainted after drinking instant coffee in Malaysia. However, the two friends, who were admitted to medical ward on Jan 27, are reported to be in stable condition at present.
State Health Department director Dr. Wan Mansor Hamzah said that the two patients started feeling weak and lethargic after consuming the drink. "Both patients claimed they drank instant coffee before showing the symptoms which warranted them to seek immediate medical treatment," Dr. Hamzah told Malaysian Digest.
"We are running tests to determine the cause of the incident," he added.
Several photos of the two patients were circulated on social media with a message that read: "Good afternoon, just to alert everyone that the emergency department of the Penang Hospital has seen a total of four cases where patients were treated in redzone after taking an instant coffee."
Meanwhile, two other people, who were colleagues, drank the same coffee at work. According to the message, the four patients displayed sympathomimetic toxidromes that includes very high blood pressure, tachycardia, dilated pupils, sweating, and reslessnes.
Dr. Noor Hisham Abdullah, the Health director-general, has instructed the state Health Department to carry out a comprehensive investigation before announcing the outcome.
