Ventricular ectopy associated with peroral colonic lavage

Peroral colonic lavage solutions are widely used to prepare patients for colonoscopy. The effects of peroral colonic lavage on cardiac rhythm have not been evaluated previously. Using continuous electrocardiographic monitoring, the authors evaluated cardiac rhythm in 22 patients undergoing 24 colonoscopic examinations. Monitored periods included a control phase, the period of preparation with the lavage solution, and the period of colonoscopy. In 12 of 24 evaluations, patients demonstrated an increase in ventricular ectopy during the preparation phase compared to the control period (p = 0.01). Two patients demonstrated ventricular tachycardia, four patients manifested complex ventricular ectopy without ventricular tachycardia, and six patients demonstrated an increase in simple premature ventricular contractions. The authors conclude that peroral colonic lavage is associated with increased ventricular ectopy.