Electrocardiographic changes in a rare case of flecainide poisoning: a case report

Flecainide is a class Ic anti - arrhythmic drug with sodium channel blocking activities. We report a case of a 57 year - old woman who attempted a suicide by ingesting approximately 1,8 gr of flecainide. On the surface electrocardiogram this results in a large QRS complex and in prolongation of the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Cases journal Vol. 2; no. 1; p. 9137
Main Authors:	Rognoni, Andrea, Bertolazzi, Marzia, Peron, Marzia, Macciò, Sergio, Cameroni, Gemma Ternavasio, Gratarola, Angelo, Rognoni, Giorgio
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	England Cases Network Ltd 03-12-2009 BioMed Central Ltd BioMed Central
Subjects:	Care and treatment Case Report Case studies Complications and side effects Diagnosis Dosage and administration Drugs Electrocardiogram Electrocardiography Flecainide Health aspects Long QT syndrome Risk factors Italy
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Summary:	Flecainide is a class Ic anti - arrhythmic drug with sodium channel blocking activities. We report a case of a 57 year - old woman who attempted a suicide by ingesting approximately 1,8 gr of flecainide. On the surface electrocardiogram this results in a large QRS complex and in prolongation of the QTc interval. Overdose with a class Ic drug is very uncommon, its management is difficult and the mortality high.Because of a hemodynamic instability and in addition to supportive care and antidysrhythmics, she was treated with a high dose of sodium bicarbonate in hypertonic solution; after this infusion the patient's QRS progressive narrowed.In conclusion, sodium bicarbonate may be useful in the treatment of widened QRS and to stabilize a overdose of class Ic anti - arrhythmic drugs.
ISSN:	1757-1626 1757-1626
DOI:	10.1186/1757-1626-2-9137