title: Influence of promethazine on cardiac repolarisation: a double-blind, midazolam-controlled study.
abstract: Drugs used in anaesthesia may provoke torsadogenic changes in cardiac repolarisation. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of promethazine on the parameters of ventricular repolarisation: QTc interval and transmural dispersion of repolarisation. Forty patients were randomly allocated to receive promethazine (25 mg) or midazolam (2.5 mg). Changes in the ECG and arterial blood pressure were recorded. Correction of QT interval was calculated using Bazett's formula and Fridericia's correction; transmural dispersion of repolarisation was determined as T(peak)-T(end) time. Significant prolongation of QT interval, corrected with both formulae, was detected in patients receiving promethazine, while no change in the QTc value was observed in the midazolam group. There were no significant differences in T(peak)-T(end) time either between or within the groups. In conclusion, promethazine induces significant QTc prolongation but the lack of influence on transmural dispersion of repolarisation makes the risk of its torsadogenic action very low.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland. r.owczuk@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Owczuk
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Twardowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dylczyk-Sommer
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wujtewicz
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sawicka
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Drogoszewska
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wujtewicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008874:Midazolam / Q000009:adverse effects; D008875:Middle Aged; D011292:Premedication / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D011398:Promethazine / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D006634:Histamine H1 Antagonists; D011398:Promethazine; D008874:Midazolam