Isotretinoin (13-cis-retinoic acid) associated atrial tachycardia.
We describe a 16-year-old boy who presented with palpitations for 1 week while being on isotretinoin treatment for nodulocystic facial acne for 3 months. Twenty four-hour Holter monitoring showed frequent premature atrial beats and episodes of nonsustained atrial tachycardia. He never had any episodes of palpitations previously. His complaints almost disappeared within a week after stopping the treatment. He remained asymptomatic since the discontinuation of the drug. The temporal relationship between isotretinoin treatment and patient's symptoms in the presence of documented arrhythmia suggests a drug-related cause. As a result, clinicians should be aware of the possible arrhythmogenic effect of isotretinoin.
Hasdemir
Can
C
Department of Cardiology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, Izmir 35100, Turkey. canrfca@yahoo.com
Sagcan
Abdi
A
Sekuri
Cevat
C
Ildizli
Muge
M
Ulucan
Cem
C
Ceylan
Can
C
D000152:Acne Vulgaris / Q000188:drug therapy; D000293:Adolescent; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D015474:Isotretinoin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000139:chemically induced*
D015474:Isotretinoin