Sibutramine-associated QT interval prolongation and cardiac arrest

The Annals of Pharmacotherapy
David ErnestRamesh Nagappan

Abstract

To report on a probable association between sibutramine and QT interval prolongation leading to ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest. A previously well 51-year-old woman with obesity but no other relevant past medical history or cardiac risk factors was prescribed sibutramine (initial dose 10 mg daily, increased to 15 mg daily after 10 wk). Four months after initiation of therapy, the woman developed ventricular fibrillation and was successfully resuscitated. On admission, an electrocardiogram (ECG) demonstrated sinus tachycardia without any ischemic changes and a prolonged QTc interval (545 msec). A subsequent coronary angiogram revealed normal coronary arteries and no other abnormalities. Her QTc interval returned to normal (432 msec) by day 2 and remained within normal limits (<440 msec) thereafter. Due to a favorable neurologic recovery and the absence of any cardiac structural abnormality, the patient was readmitted for implantation of an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator on day 35 and remained well from a cardiac and neurologic standpoint at a 2-year follow-up examination. Sibutramine acts centrally to inhibit noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin reuptake, thereby sharing similar actions of other Q...Continue Reading

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Citations

Dec 2, 2014·Obesity Research & Clinical Practice·Bengt A J Källén
May 30, 2009·Vascular Health and Risk Management·Konstantinos TziomalosThemistoklis Tzotzas
Sep 18, 2009·Bioinformation·Mizied FalahAnwar Rayan
Jul 10, 2009·Clinical Toxicology : the Official Journal of the American Academy of Clinical Toxicology and European Association of Poisons Centres and Clinical Toxicologists·Fábio BucaretchiStephen Hyslop
Jan 7, 2011·Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·Jung-Woo BaeSeok-Young Lee
May 6, 2011·Diabetes Care·André J Scheen
Jun 18, 2010·Drug Safety : an International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience·Mira Harrison-WoolrychPeter Herbison
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Jul 31, 2010·Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine·Ahmet A YalcinEmre Tutal
Jan 4, 2021·Cardiovascular Toxicology·Feyza AlyuYusuf Ozturk

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