Drug-induced QT Interval prolongation in the Intensive Care Unit.

Drug-induced QT Interval prolongation in the Intensive Care Unit. Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2018 Feb 23;: Authors: Etchegoyen CV, Keller GA, Mrad S, Cheng S, DiGirolamo G Abstract Drug-induced QT interval prolongation is the most frequent cause of Long QT syndrome (LQTS) in the clinical practice. This electrophysiological entity, produced by an extended duration of the myocardial repolarization and reflected as a prolonged QT interval in the superficial electrocardiogram (EKG), increases the risk of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (Torsades de Pointes) appearance and sudden death. Certain antiarrhythmic drugs such as amiodarone, sotalol, quinidine, procainamide, verapamil and diltiazem are known as drugs that, due to their mechanism of action, prolong the QT interval, demanding constant monitorization. Nevertheless there are other widely used drugs in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that have no cardiovascular indication but still are frequently associated with prolonged QT interval such as ondansetron, like macrolides and fluoroquinolones , typical antipsychotic such as haloperidol and thioridazine or atypical such as sertindole. Taking into consideration this unexpected association with the prolongation of the QT interval, these drugs require a closed monitorization in these critical patients. Since ICU patients are particularly vulnerable to this sort of alteration of ventricular repolarization caused by the effect of these drugs its...
Source: Current Clinical Pharmacology - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Authors: Tags: Curr Clin Pharmacol Source Type: research