[Arrhythmogenic effects of antidepressive agents demonstrated by programmed ventricular pacing].
Tricyclic antidepressants and phenothiazines have been blamed for increasing the incidence of sudden death. One of their known mechanisms of action in such cases is to induce torsades de pointes by a so-called "quinidine-like" effect. We report the case of a female patient who was rescued from an episode of cardiac arrest which occurred two months after a myocardial infarction. Right ventricular programmed pacing strongly suggested an arrhythmogenic effect to the antidepressant the patient was receiving. This type of treatment seems to be capable of facilitating the induction of a monomorphous ventricular tachycardia which may degenerate into ventricular fibrillation.
Cointe
R
R
Clinique cardiologique Cantini, Marseille.
Dussarat
G V
GV
Mafart
B
B
Bru
P
P
Levy
S
S
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D002746:Chlorpromazine / Q000009:adverse effects; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000009:adverse effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D002997:Clomipramine; D002746:Chlorpromazine
Effet arythmogène des antidépresseurs. Mise en évidence par la stimulation ventriculaire programmée.