title: Hypoglycaemic syncope in children secondary to beta-blockers.
abstract: It has been reported that young children taking beta-blockers may be at risk of hypoglycaemia when fasting. However, hypoglycaemia is not listed as a side effect of beta-blockers in the British National Formulary for Children. We present five patients (out of approximately 570 patients at our institution who were prescribed regular beta-blockers over the same time period) who had severe hypoglycaemic episodes whilst taking beta-blockers for prevention of arrhythmia. We demonstrate how such an episode may be misinterpreted as an arrhythmic event and how this could lead to inappropriate escalation of medical therapy or even implantation of an automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator.
authors.affiliation: Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Dalnair Street, Glasgow G3 8SJ, UK. tarique@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Greenhalgh
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: McLeod
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007003:Hypoglycemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007223:Infant; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D013575:Syncope / Q000139:chemically induced*; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists