title: Drug-induced long QT syndrome increases the risk of drowning.
abstract: There is strong evidence linking inherited long QT syndromes with an increased risk of drowning due to fatal arrhythmias in the water. Drug-induced long QT syndrome (DILQTS) is hypothesized to increase the risk of drowning by similar mechanisms. It is suggested that QT prolongation caused by a drug or drugs, when combined with the autonomic conflict associated with the mammalian dive reflex and/or the cold shock reflex, sets up conditions that may result in a sudden fatal arrhythmia while in water - thus an increased risk of drowning related to a drug-induced prolongation of the QT interval. Many widely used drugs prolong the QT interval thus raising a drug safety issue that needs confirmation or refutation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA; PHICS, 24203 35th Ave NE, Arlington, WA 98223, USA. Electronic address: vincenzi@uw.edu.
authors.forename: Frank F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Vincenzi
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects; D015283:Citalopram / Q000633:toxicity; D065508:Diving Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D004332:Drowning / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008133:Long QT Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity; D008954:Models, Biological; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000150:complications
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D008694:Methamphetamine