Bradycardia and severe hypotension caused by wild honey poisoning.
Wild honey is taken as an alternative medicine for the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases as well as for coronary artery disease. However, wild honey made from the nectar of some species of rhododendron may be poisonous. The cause of the poisoning is the toxin grayanotoxin. Grayanotoxin is a naturally occurring sodium channel toxin that causes life-threatening bradycardia, hypotension, and altered mental status. Complete heart blocks may occur in some patients. We present an interesting case of bradycardia and hypotension due to wild honey ingestion. The symptoms, mechanism, and management of wild honey poisoning are discussed.
Dubey
Laxman
L
Department of Cardiology, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Centre, Bansbari, Kathmandu, Nepal. dubeylax@yahoo.com
Maskey
Arun
A
Regmi
Shyam
S
D001919:Bradycardia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006722:Honey / Q000506:poisoning*; D006801:Humans; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014118:Toxins, Biological / Q000506:poisoning*
D014118:Toxins, Biological