title: "Serpentine heart". Direct observation of the human heart during profound hyperkalemia.
abstract: We observed cardiac contractility in a patient who had inadvertently received a massive overdose of potassium chloride during open heart surgery. Slowly advancing waves of contraction were present while the surface electrocardiogram showed the sine wave configuration typical of severe hyperkalemia. This is the first report of such an observation and may serve to promote proper diagnosis and treatment of similar cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo 43699.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Burket
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Hughes
mesh_terms: D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D006947:Hyperkalemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000503:physiopathology