Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 2008 Mar;177(1):67-8.
doi: 10.1007/s11845-007-0057-3. Epub 2007 Jul 7.

Clarithromycin induced torsade de pointes

C Hensey  1 , D Keane
Affiliations
Case Reports

Clarithromycin induced torsade de pointes

C Hensey et al. Ir J Med Sci. 2008 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Clarithromycin is a commonly used macrolide antibiotic. It is known to cause QT prolongation. Medication induced QT prolongation is a major risk factor for the development of torsade de pointes.

Methods: A 79-year-old lady presented with frequent episodes of torsade de pointes following commencement of clarithromycin. This was noted to be in association with a prolongation of the QT interval.

Conclusion: Knowledge of medications which prolong the QT interval is important to minimize the risk of ventricular arrhythmias, which may lead to sudden death. This is essential in patients with a congenitally long QT interval.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Circulation. 1999 Feb 2;99(4):529-33 - PubMed
    1. Chest. 1994 Feb;105(2):368-72 - PubMed
    1. Am J Cardiol. 1992 Mar 1;69(6):628-33 - PubMed
    1. Ann Intern Med. 1994 Oct 1;121(7):529-35 - PubMed
    1. JAMA. 1993 Dec 1;270(21):2590-7 - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources