title: [Capecitabine-induced ventricular fibrillation].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Capecitabine is an orally-administered chemotherapeutic agent used in the treatment of colorectal, gastric and breast carcinoma. Capecitabine has relatively mild side effects. Less known are its potential severe cardiotoxic effects.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report a case of a 61-year-old man recently diagnosed with rectal cancer. Six days after starting with capecitabine, he developed a cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation (VF). Extensive additional diagnostics did not explain the cardiac arrest nor VF. Given the observed time relation between initiation of capecitabine administration and the occurrence of VF, combined with the absence of other causes for VF, we suspect that VF is a likely consequence of capecitabine-induced coronary vasospasm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Capecitabine-induced VF is a rare occurrence. With the increasing use of capecitabine for the treatment of various cancers, health professionals should be aware of these potential cardiotoxic side effects.
authors.affiliation: Noordwest Ziekenhuisgroep, Alkmaar.
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: van Capelle
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Valk
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schakenraad
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Germans
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ten Oever
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000069287:Capecitabine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003329:Coronary Vasospasm; D006323:Heart Arrest; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069287:Capecitabine