title: Cardiac arrhythmias and rhabdomyolysis in Bartter-Gitelman patients.
abstract: Recent data demonstrate that patients affected with hypokalemic salt-losing tubulopathies are prone to acute cardiac arrhythmias and rhabdomyolysis. The tendency to these potentially fatal complications is especially high if chronic hypokalemia is severe, in patients with diarrhea, vomiting or a prolonged QT interval on standard electrocardiography, in patients on drug management with compounds prolonging the electrocardiographic QT interval (including antiarrhythmic agents, some antihistamines, macrolides, antifungals, psychotropics, beta2-adrenergic agonists or cisapride), following acute alcohol abuse and during exercise. Cardiac arrhythmias and rhabdomyolysis occur with sufficient frequency in hypokalemic salt-losing tubulopathies to merit wider awareness of their presence and the preparation of specific prevention and management recommendations.
authors.forename: Cinzia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cortesi
authors.forename: Sebastiano A G
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Lava
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bettinelli
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tammaro
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Giannini
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caiata-Zufferey
authors.forename: Mario G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Bianchetti
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D001477:Bartter Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D012206:Rhabdomyolysis / Q000209:etiology*