Correction of serum electrolyte imbalance prevents cardiac arrhythmia during amphotericin B administration.
Arrhythmias and cardiac arrest have been reported during amphotericin B administration but no effective technique has been described to prevent them. I saw two patients with kala-azar resistant to sodium stibogluconate who developed cardiac arrest after amphotericin infusion (in spite of tolerating a test dose). Both had low levels of serum sodium, potassium and calcium. After these were corrected the amphotericin B was restarted and the course of treatment completed successfully. I suggest that prior to giving amphotericin B to patients with resistant kala-azar their electrolyte imbalance should be corrected.
Thakur
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D000328:Adult; D000666:Amphotericin B / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014883:Water-Electrolyte Imbalance / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000517:prevention & control
D000666:Amphotericin B; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium