Vol 17, No 6 (2010)
Case Reports
Submitted: 2013-01-14
Published online: 2010-12-08
Propafenone overdose: Cardiac arrest and full recovery
Beata Wożakowska-Kapłon, Alicja Stępień-Walek
Cardiol J 2010;17(6):619-622.
Vol 17, No 6 (2010)
Case Reports
Submitted: 2013-01-14
Published online: 2010-12-08
Abstract
Intoxication caused by propafenone is very rare, and there are no known detailed epidemiological
studies. We present the clinical manifestation of severe propafenone intoxication,successfully
treated in a 17 year-old male. He was brought to the Intensive Care Unit after he had taken
3.0 g propafenone. The main clinical findings included: sudden cardiac arrest, coma, hypotension,
left ventricular failure, bradycardia, sinoatrial block, atrioventricular junctional or/and
ventricular tachycardia. During the treatment, transient heart pacing was performed and
catecholamines were administered by means of continuous intravenous infusion of pressure
doses as well as of infusion liquids. Cessation of toxic signs four hours after admission to
hospital was observed. This relatively rare, fully symptomatic intoxication with propafenone
deserved to be presented due to the drug’s common usage in the treatment of dysrhythmia and
life-threatening symptoms of overdosing. The course of the disease was dramatic and the
patient survived only thanks to quick resuscitation, artificial ventilation, transient heart pacing,
acidosis treatment and administration of pressure doses of catecholamines. (Cardiol J
2010; 17, 6: 619-622)
Abstract
Intoxication caused by propafenone is very rare, and there are no known detailed epidemiological
studies. We present the clinical manifestation of severe propafenone intoxication,successfully
treated in a 17 year-old male. He was brought to the Intensive Care Unit after he had taken
3.0 g propafenone. The main clinical findings included: sudden cardiac arrest, coma, hypotension,
left ventricular failure, bradycardia, sinoatrial block, atrioventricular junctional or/and
ventricular tachycardia. During the treatment, transient heart pacing was performed and
catecholamines were administered by means of continuous intravenous infusion of pressure
doses as well as of infusion liquids. Cessation of toxic signs four hours after admission to
hospital was observed. This relatively rare, fully symptomatic intoxication with propafenone
deserved to be presented due to the drug’s common usage in the treatment of dysrhythmia and
life-threatening symptoms of overdosing. The course of the disease was dramatic and the
patient survived only thanks to quick resuscitation, artificial ventilation, transient heart pacing,
acidosis treatment and administration of pressure doses of catecholamines. (Cardiol J
2010; 17, 6: 619-622)
Keywords
intoxication; propafenone; cardiological complications
Title
Propafenone overdose: Cardiac arrest and full recovery
Journal
Cardiology Journal
Issue
Vol 17, No 6 (2010)
Pages
619-622
Published online
2010-12-08
Page views
553
Article views/downloads
1666
Bibliographic record
Cardiol J 2010;17(6):619-622.
Keywords
intoxication
propafenone
cardiological complications
Authors
Beata Wożakowska-Kapłon
Alicja Stępień-Walek
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