Fatal cardiac arrhythmias and shock following yew leaves ingestion.
A 40-year-old woman presented with vomiting and abdominal pain following voluntary ingestion of 150 yew leaves. She developed ventricular conduction defects and arrhythmias unresponsive to medical treatment after admission. She expired five hours after yew ingestion from irreversible cardiogenic shock. More attention should be given to this rare but severe intoxication for which no effective therapy is known.
Department of Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
B
B
Yersin
J G
JG
Frey
M D
MD
Schaller
P
P
Nicod
C
C
Perret
D000328:Adult; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D010939:Plant Poisoning; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D014197:Trees