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An antibiotic recipe for an arrhythmic disaster
Keir McCutcheon1, Pravin Manga2
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, and Charlotte Maxeke Academic Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa. keir_mccutcheon@hotmail.com.
Cardiovascular Journal of Africa
|November 24, 2015
Summary
Intravenous erythromycin can cause dangerous heart arrhythmias like torsade de pointes in patients with complete atrioventricular block. This case highlights the risks of QT-prolonging drugs in vulnerable cardiac patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Clinical Pharmacology
Background:
- Complete atrioventricular block presents significant risks for cardiac arrhythmias.
- Certain medications can exacerbate these risks by prolonging the QT interval.