Drug-induced QT Interval Prolongation in the Intensive Care Unit

Current Clinical Pharmacology
Cecilia Villa EtchegoyenGuillermo Di Girolamo

Abstract

The most common acquired cause of Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is drug induced QT interval prolongation. It is an electrophysiological entity, which is characterized by an extended duration of the ventricular repolarization. Reflected as a prolonged QT interval in a surface ECG, this syndrome increases the risk for polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (Torsade de Pointes) and sudden death. Bibliographic databases as MEDLINE and EMBASE, reports and drug alerts from several regulatory agencies (FDA, EMEA, ANMAT) and drug safety guides (ICH S7B, ICH E14) were consulted to prepare this article. The keywords used were: polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, adverse drug events, prolonged QT, arrhythmias, intensive care unit and Torsade de Pointes. Such research involved materials produced up to December 2017. Because of their mechanism of action, antiarrhythmic drugs such as amiodarone, sotalol, quinidine, procainamide, verapamil and diltiazem are associated to the prolongation of the QTc interval. For this reason, they require constant monitoring when administered. Other noncardiovascular drugs that are widely used in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), such as ondansetron, macrolide and fluoroquinolone antibiotics, typical and atypical antipsy...Continue Reading

Citations

Oct 28, 2019·Journal of General Internal Medicine·Praveen IndraratnaBen Ng
Oct 22, 2020·Canadian Respiratory Journal : Journal of the Canadian Thoracic Society·Teshale Ayele MegaGetandale Zeleke Negera
Aug 25, 2020·Computers in Biology and Medicine·Milad AllahgholiDezső Módos
Mar 25, 2021·Clinical Pharmacology in Drug Development·Jin-Woo ParkJi-Young Park
Mar 27, 2021·Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics·Hui Moon KohHiu Jian Chua
Aug 11, 2020·Anaesthesia Critical Care & Pain Medicine·Sarah AubanelJean-François Payen
May 20, 2021·Europace : European Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Electrophysiology : Journal of the Working Groups on Cardiac Pacing, Arrhythmias, and Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology·Jérôme MontnachGildas Loussouarn
Nov 5, 2021·Forensic Science, Medicine, and Pathology·Ingo von Both, Brittini Santos

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