title: Case report: reversible QT prolongation with torsades de pointes in a patient with pimozide intoxication.
abstract: Pimozide is a diphenylpiperidine neuroleptic with well characterized cardiovascular side effects including QT prolongation. So far, life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, in particular torsades de pointes, have not been described in patients treated with pimozide. The authors describe a patient in whom torsades de pointes developed after the ingestion of 800 mg pimozide as a suicide attempt. After intravenous treatment with lidocaine and magnesium, the patient recovered completely and the QT interval had normalized 5 days after the intoxication. Potential mechanisms leading to torsades de pointes in patients treated with pimozide are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krähenbühl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sauter
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kupferschmidt
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krause
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Wyss
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Meier
mesh_terms: D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008274:Magnesium / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010868:Pimozide / Q000506:poisoning*; D012559:Schizophrenia; D013406:Suicide, Attempted; D016171:Torsades de Pointes / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D010868:Pimozide; D008012:Lidocaine; D008274:Magnesium