[Apropos of a rare cause of torsades de pointe: hypokalemia caused by dietary deficiency].
The authors report a case of wave burst arrhythmia in a young immigrant woman of Laotian origin aged 32. The main cause of the arrhythmia was related to potassium deficiency of dietary origin. Some contributory factors may have had a promoting effect: theophylline treatment, beta-mimetics and adrenaline (epinephrine). This case can therefore be related to the cases of wave burst arrhythmia and hypokalemia previously reported in anorexic subjects. This case suggests that special attention should be paid to the diet of some ethnic groups who have been displaced by economic causes. Their very unusual dietary habits may induce or aggravate hypokalemia, which may also be promoted in some cases by drugs. Some treatments should therefore be introduced with caution in this context due to the potential risk of inducing severe arrhythmia.
Chavernac
P
P
Service de Cardiologie, Centre Hospitalier Général, Castres.
Navarrot
P
P
Ravoteur
B
B
Maurette
M
M
Heraudeau
A
A
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000209:etiology*; D007812:Laos / Q000208:ethnology; D011191:Potassium Deficiency / Q000150:complications*; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000209:etiology*
A propos d'une cause rare de torsade de pointe: hypokaliémie par carence d'apport alimentaire.