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Sudden Death Associated with Alcohol Consumption
Author(s) -
PANOS RALPH J.,
SUTTON FREDERICK J.,
YOUNGHYMAN PAUL,
PETERS ROBERT
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.1988.tb06002.x
Subject(s) - medicine , ventricle , binge drinking , alcohol consumption , cardiology , alcohol , cardioversion , alcoholic cardiomyopathy , anesthesia , poison control , emergency medicine , heart failure , injury prevention , atrial fibrillation , cardiomyopathy , biochemistry , chemistry
Evaluation of a binge drinker who died suddenly after a weekend of heavy beer consumption, and had been resuscitated successfully, revealed no evidence of clinically detectable heart disease. Baseline electrophysiological testing was normal. Following intravenous ethanol infusion, paired ventricular extrastimuli from the right ventricle induced a rapid polymorphic ventricular tachycardia requiring cardioversion. Repeat electrophysiological testing 24 hours later without alcohol infusion was again normal. The patient was discharged on no medications and was instructed to refrain from drinking alcohol. Approximately 3 months later the patient died suddenly after heavy beer consumption. Alcohol should be considered in the evaluation of survivors of cardiac arrest and alcohol challenge may be useful in their evaluation.