Biomaterial Database

Torsades de pointes induced by erythromycin. 1994

B Gitler, and L S Berger, and S D Buffa

Department of Medicine, New Rochelle Hospital Medical Center, NY.

We describe two patients who develop torsades de pointes in a temporal relationship to the intravenous administration of erythromycin lactobionate in the absence of other drugs or metabolic abnormalities known to cause the arrhythmia. We also review the current literature regarding this topic, including other case histories and the evidence for erythromycin's effect on cardiac tissue. Due to the increasing use of erythromycin in clinical practice, we believe it is important that all physicians be made aware of this potential complication, which was not recognized at our institutions until these patients were seen by one of us (B.G.).

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D012141	Respiratory Tract Infections	Invasion of the host RESPIRATORY SYSTEM by microorganisms, usually leading to pathological processes or diseases.	Respiratory System Infections,Upper Respiratory Tract Infection,Upper Respiratory Tract Infections,Infections, Respiratory,Infections, Respiratory Tract,Infections, Upper Respiratory,Infections, Upper Respiratory Tract,Respiratory Infections,Upper Respiratory Infections,Infection, Respiratory System,Infection, Respiratory Tract,Respiratory Infection, Upper,Respiratory System Infection,Respiratory Tract Infection
D004917	Erythromycin	A bacteriostatic antibiotic macrolide produced by Streptomyces erythreus. Erythromycin A is considered its major active component. In sensitive organisms, it inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 50S ribosomal subunits. This binding process inhibits peptidyl transferase activity and interferes with translocation of amino acids during translation and assembly of proteins.	Erycette,Erymax,Erythromycin A,Erythromycin C,Erythromycin Lactate,Erythromycin Phosphate,Ilotycin,T-Stat,Lactate, Erythromycin,Phosphate, Erythromycin,T Stat,TStat
D005260	Female		Females
D006095	Gram-Positive Cocci	Coccus-shaped bacteria that retain the crystal violet stain when treated by Gram's method.	Gram Positive Cocci
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368	Aged	A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available.	Elderly
D000369	Aged, 80 and over	Persons 80 years of age and older.	Oldest Old
D016171	Torsades de Pointes	A malignant form of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia that is characterized by HEART RATE between 200 and 250 beats per minute, and QRS complexes with changing amplitude and twisting of the points. The term also describes the syndrome of tachycardia with prolonged ventricular repolarization, long QT intervals exceeding 500 milliseconds or BRADYCARDIA. Torsades de pointes may be self-limited or may progress to VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION.	Torsade de Pointes,Pointes, Torsade de,Pointes, Torsades de,de Pointes, Torsade,de Pointes, Torsades
D016908	Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections	Infections caused by bacteria that retain the crystal violet stain (positive) when treated by the gram-staining method.	Bacterial Infections, Gram-Positive,Infections, Gram-Positive Bacterial,Bacterial Infection, Gram-Positive,Bacterial Infections, Gram Positive,Gram Positive Bacterial Infections,Gram-Positive Bacterial Infection,Infection, Gram-Positive Bacterial,Infections, Gram Positive Bacterial