title: [Prolongation of the QT interval and torsade de pointes caused by ketanserin].
abstract: The authors report the case of an 84-year-old man with mild aortic valvular disease and arterial hypertension who developed marked QT interval prolongation and several lipotimic and syncopal attacks after 3 months of treatment with ketanserin (40 mg/day). The correlation between ketanserin, QT prolongation and symptoms was assessed by withdrawal and subsequent re-administration of the drug. Continuous ECG monitoring revealed the occurrence of QT prolongation and symptomatic runs of torsade de pointes ventricular tachycardia. The Authors suggest that treatment with ketanserin needs careful patients selection and follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Divisione clinicizzata di Cardiologia, Ospedale S. Bortolo, Vicenza, Università di Verona.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arfiero
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ometto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001022:Aortic Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D013575:Syncope / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007650:Ketanserin
vernacular_title: Allungamento dell'intervallo QT e torsione di punta da ketanserina.