The effect of scorpion venom of Buthus Tamulus species on blood pressure, ECG, enzyme and electrolytes were studied in dogs. Venom was given in doses of 2 and 4 mg/kg body weight. Hypotension and tachycardia were observed with low dose and bradycardia was significant with high dose. ST segment depression, T wave changes, shortening of PR interval were the important ECG changes apart from ventri...

OBJECTIVES This study aimed to compare the QTc interval between low and high dose methadone groups and evaluate the pattern of QTc variation. METHODS This is a prospective cohort study conducted from December 2010 till August 2011 at Malaysian University of Science's Hospital. Forty six subjects, grouped in high dose (>80mg) and low dose (<80mg) oral methadone, were followed-up at 4-weekly fo...

BACKGROUND This study was performed to determine the changes in corrected QT (QTc) and QT dispersion and their relationship with end-stage liver disease score in the children undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation. METHODS This case-control study was performed in a 2-year period from February 2009 to March 2011 in Department of Organ Transplantation of Nemazee Hospital. We consecutively ...

Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a process of cooling a patient post ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) cardiac arrest to 32-34 degrees C for 24 hours. This improves neurological outcome and is part of current guidelines. Hypothermia prolongs QT interval, which can precipitate torsades de pointes (TdP). We performed a retrospective review of all patients who received TH in ...

We have read with interest the paper of Cuculi et al. in a recent issue of the Swiss Medical Weekly [1]. Clearly, one plausible explanation for the high mortality of patients with alcohol withdrawal syndromes may be the occurrence of malignant cardiac arrhythmias. Prolonged QT interval is considered as one marker for such life threatening rhythm disturbances and indeed, in the studied group of ...

BACKGROUND An important issue in pediatric pharmacology is the determination of whether medications affect cardiac rhythm parameters, in particular the QT interval, which is a surrogate marker for the risk of adverse cardiac events and sudden death. To evaluate changes while on medication, it is useful to have a comparison of age appropriate values while off medication. The present meta-analysi...

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between QT interval prolongation and mortality in type 1 diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Data on survival after 5 years were obtained from 316 of 379 patients (83.3%) who took part in a study on the prevalence of diabetic neuropathy and QT interval prolongation. RESULTS Mortality at 5 years was 6.32%. Patients who ...

BACKGROUND The present study was designed to evaluate the preconditioning effect of different doses of noradrenaline on ischemia-induced ventricular arrhythmias in open chest anesthetized rats. METHODS The anaesthetized rats were subjected to 25 min of regional ischemia by left descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion. In sham group, surgical procedures were done but ischemia was not applie...

The measure of delayed ventricular repolarization most frequently used clinically is the ability of the new chemical entity to prolong the QTc interval on surface electrocardiogram. Intramyocardial dispersion of repolarization appears to play a more important role both in electrical stability of the ventricles and in arrhythmogenesis. The potential importance of myocardial dispersion of refract...

BACKGROUND Altered cardiac repolarization and increased dispersion of repolarization have been identified as risk factors for sudden cardiac death (SCD). The prevalence of and the mechanisms contributing to altered cardiac repolarization are currently unknown in COPD. METHODS In 91 COPD patients, 32 controls matched for age, cardiovascular risk and medication, and 41 healthy subjects, measure...