RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Torsades de pointes, a common arrhythmia, induced by medication
JF Canadian Medical Association Journal
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP 368
OP 372
VO 127
IS 5
A1 P. T. Ko
A1 S. Gulamhusein
A1 W. J. Kostuk
A1 G. J. Klein
YR 1982
UL http://www.cmaj.ca/content/127/5/368.abstract
AB Between May 1980 and April 1981 four patients were referred to one hospital with syncope or recurrent ventricular fibrillation while taking antiarrhythmic or phenothiazine drugs. In all the patients ventricular tachyarrhythmias with the characteristics of torsades de pointes were documented in association with prolonged QT intervals. With removal of the offending agent (in all the patients) supplemented by temporary overdrive pacing (in two patients) the tachyarrhythmias subsided. This study suggests that drug-induced torsades de pointes is an important clinical entity that occurs more frequently than has been suspected.