torsades de pointes/obesity

The use of very low calorie diets under medical supervision is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, as the incidence of obesity continues to rise. We report the case of torsades de pointes developing during such a diet. Torsades de pointes has been reported in association with very low calorie

A 38-year-old obese woman presented with recurrent polymorphic ventricular tachycardia secondary to persistent hypokalemia necessitating more than 40 DC shocks. All endocrine investigations for hypokalemia were negative with impression of "mysterious hypokalemia." On repeated inquiry, a hidden

Three women, aged 27, 33, and 35 years, experienced recurrent syncope five months after losing 36 to 41 kg using liquid protein diets. No abnormalities were noted during physical examination except in one who was hypothyroid. Serum potassium levels varied between 2.9 and 3.9 mEq/liter. The ECGs

The discovery and synthesis of potential and novel antipsychotic coumarin derivatives, associated with potent dopamine D2, D3, and serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptor properties, are the focus of the present article. The most-promising derivative was

Women are more susceptible to the development of Torsades de Pointes ventricular tachycardia and have a longer heart rate-corrected QT interval than men. A causal role for estrogen has been implicated. The purpose of this study was to investigate if hormone replacement therapy (HRT) resulted in any

Dopamine D(3) antagonism combined with serotonin 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptor occupancy may represent a novel paradigm for developing innovative antipsychotics. The unique pharmacological features of 5i are a high affinity for dopamine D(3), serotonin 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(2A) receptors, together with

Regulatory risk-benefit assessments may overweight small but serious risks relative to benefits. Using terfenadine and torsade de pointes as an exemplar, we illustrate how a different decision may result when outcomes are assessed using quality-adjusted life-years within a decision-analytical

Retrospective examination of weekly electrocardiograms of 13 patients on zero calorie intake for 97 +/- 25.4 d (mean +/- standard deviation) for morbid obesity demonstrated a significant progressive reduction in QRS voltage by the seventh week. There was a significant prolongation of the QTc

Heart block and Q-Tc interval prolongation have been reported with several agents used in anesthesia, and the US Food and Drug Administration mandates evaluation of the Q-T interval with new drugs. Drug-induced Q-T interval prolongation may precipitate life-threatening arrhythmias, is considered a

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are used in patients without a reversible cause for long QT syndrome (LQTS) and secondary prevention in patients with LQTS-associated sudden cardiac arrest. We present a female patient with multiple reversible factors for QT prolongation, including the

QT interval represents the period between the initiation of depolarization and the end of repolarization of the ventricular myocardium. Excessive prolongation of this interval may drive to a potentially fatal ventricular tachyarrhythmia known as "torsades de pointes". Agents used to manage many