title: Cesium toxicity: a case of self-treatment by alternate therapy gone awry.
abstract: Cesium salts have been used in animal models to induce cardiac arrhythmias for several decades, but the sequelae of human cesium toxicity have seldom been described. The authors describe a case of cesium toxicity manifested by syncope, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, hypokalemia, and a QT interval prolonged to 650 milliseconds that resolved over 4 days following withdrawal of cesium. The patient had a 2-year history of colon cancer and had self-treated with cesium chloride, 3 g/d, for several weeks, using cesium as a form of alternate therapy for cancer. The authors describe the pathophysiologic correlates and risks of cesium consumption and conclude that cesium toxicity should be considered among the differential diagnoses of prolonged QT interval.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. alyon@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Andrew W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Lyon
authors.forename: William J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Mayhew
mesh_terms: D002586:Cesium / Q000633:toxicity*; D002712:Chlorides / Q000633:toxicity*; D000529:Complementary Therapies / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007008:Hypokalemia / Q000139:chemically induced; D008875:Middle Aged; D012651:Self Medication / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000139:chemically induced
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D002586:Cesium; C028019:cesium chloride