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Torsade de Pointes and T‐U Wave Alternans Associated with Arsenic Poisoning
Author(s) -
LITTLE RANDALL E.,
KAY G. NEAL,
CAVENDER J. BRADLEY,
EPSTEIN ANDREW E.,
PLUMB VANCE J.
Publication year - 1990
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.1540-8159.1990.tb05066.x
Subject(s) - medicine , qt interval , cardiology , arsenic poisoning , arsenic , u wave , electrocardiography , ventricular tachycardia , t wave , prolongation , anesthesia , materials science , metallurgy
Arsenic intoxication is a common form of heavy metal poisoning. Although arsenic‐induced circulatory collapse, seizures, and syncope are well known, the potential for serious ventricular arrhythmias is Jess well recognized. Reported in this study are two cases of arsenic poisoning causing forsade de pointes. Furthermore, marked prolongation of the QT‐U interval and the rarely observed phenomenon of T‐U wave alternans are demonstrated. Thus, arsenic intoxication may be complicated by prolongation of the QT‐U interval and torsade de pointes. T‐U wave alternans occurs in the presence of a long QT‐U interval and may be an electrocardiographic warning sign of torsade de pointes.