Polymorphic ventricular tachycardia in a woman taking cesium chloride.
A 47-year-old patient presented with syncope and recurrent episodes of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. She had evidence of prolonged QT interval by ECG and had been taking cesium as a dietary supplement. Correction of the hypokalemia and discontinuation of the cesium resulted in normalization of the QT interval during follow-up with no further recurrence of ventricular arrhythmias. The use of this drug is potentially hazardous as it may induce fatal ventricular arrhythmias.
Saliba
W
W
Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology and Pacing, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. salibaw@ccf.org
Erdogan
O
O
Niebauer
M
M
D002586:Cesium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D013575:Syncope / Q000139:chemically induced; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis
D002712:Chlorides; D002586:Cesium; C028019:cesium chloride