[Hemiparesis and torsade de pointes under low-dose sotalol therapy]

An 81-year-old woman with recurrent epileptic attacks, hemiparesis and rapidly changing consciousness is described in whom the most probable reason for the clinical picture was polymorphous ventricular tachycardia (torsade de pointes). Sotalol (Sotalex), which the patient received for two weeks at a dose of 80 mg twice daily because of asymptomatic ectopic ventricular beats, was identified as the causative agent. Torsade de pointes disappeared after a single intravenous injection of 2 g magnesium sulfate. The patient left the hospital a few days later completely recovered from all neurological deficits.