A case is reported where the use of i.v. disopyramide for a supraventricular tachycardia resulted in a more serious ventricular dysrhythmia giving hypotension and this probably contributed to the development of a myocardial infarction. Attention is drawn to the possible risk.

BACKGROUND Ventricular dysrhythmias are a serious consequence associated with drug overdose and chemical poisoning. The risk factors for the type of ventricular dysrhythmia and the outcomes by drug class are not well documented. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the most common drugs and chemicals associated with ventricular dysrhythmias and their outcomes. METHODS We reviewe...

OBJECTIVE There is widespread consensus that the EEG is not useful for the detection of clinically relevant abnormalities in patients with psychosis. Given that the EEG records brain dysfunction, this study examines whether an abnormal EEG in first-episode psychosis patients is associated with poorer prognosis, compared with a normal EEG. METHOD At their initial assessment, 61 patients with f...

Case reports Case 1 A 65-year-old diabetic lady had been treated with Saventrine since 1965 for her heart block. In September 1971 she developed frequent StokesAdams attacks for which a ventricular inhibited intracardiac pacemaker was implanted. Within 24 hr of implantation she developed frequent ventricular extra-systoles which responded to procainamide. Subsequently she developed lignocaine-r...

Synchrony of biological processes with environmental cues developed over millennia to match growth, reproduction and senescence. This entails a complex interplay of genetic, metabolic, chemical, light, hormonal and hedonistic factors across life forms. Sleep is one of the most prominent rhythms where such a match is established. Over the past 100 years or so, it has been possible to disturb the...

Although the extent of enzymatically estimated infarct size appears to be an important determinant of morbidity and mortality early after infarction, its influences on long-term survival and late ventricular dysrhythmia have not yet been characterized. Accordingly, we prospectively studied 173 patients younger than 66 years of age without evidence of prior myocardial infarction, who survived ac...

Continuous tape recording of the electrocardiogram was carried out on 25 patients with sinus bradycardia or sinoatrial block. A 72-hour record was made on each fully ambulant patient, by a miniature portable tape recorder and the tapes processed with automatic dysrhythmia detection. A high incidence of slow and fast sinaatrial dysrhythmias was discovered and brief episodes of atrial tachydysrhy...