Toxic synergism of disopyramide and hyperkalemia

Chest. 1980 Oct;78(4):654-6. doi: 10.1378/chest.78.4.654.

Abstract

A patient is presented whose electrocardiogram became remarkably abnormal and who developed hypotension while receiving disopyramide and potassium. This report documents a potassium-disopyramide synergism leading to life-threatening toxicity. These abnormalities were corrected by glucose, insulin and bicarbonate therapy, suggesting that serious disopyramide toxicity may be enhanced by hyperkalemia and reversed by lowering the serum potassium.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Disopyramide / toxicity*
  • Drug Synergism
  • Electrocardiography*
  • Humans
  • Hyperkalemia / diagnosis
  • Hyperkalemia / physiopathology*
  • Hypotension / chemically induced
  • Male
  • Potassium / toxicity*
  • Pyridines / toxicity*

Substances

  • Pyridines
  • Disopyramide
  • Potassium