[Severe antihistamine poisoning complicated by ventricular tachycardia]

A 26-year-old female clerk without previous heart disease ingested with suicidal intensions antihistaminic drugs--H1 blockers, astemizole (a total of 700 mg) and terfenadine (a total of 900-1200 mg). The main sign of intoxication was repeated polymorphous ventricular tachycardia type torsade de pointes, which at the onset of hospitalization changed into ventricular fibrillation. Therapeutically the impaired rhythm was controlled by electric cardioversion and atrial stimulation with a frequency of 120/min. On the third day it was possible to discontinue atrial stimulation and later the patient was discharged without any permanent sequelae.