Carbamazepine
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Reactions 400 - 9 May 1992 Carbamazepine Heart block: case report After 3 years’ treatment with carbamazepine 200 mg/day for psychotic depression, a 63-year-old woman developed atrioventricular block. She presented with exertional dyspnoea and, although ECG was normal, the treadmill stress test showed a second-degree atrioventricular block Holter monitoring revealed episodes of third-degree atrioventricular block with ventricular escape. Dyspnoea disappeared after carbamazepine withdrawal. However, the patient’s psychiatric condition began to deteriorate rapidly. Cardiac symptoms returned within a few weeks of restarting carbamazepine therapy and, thus, this therapy was discontinued. Follow-up ECGs and Holter monitoring were normal Comment:Cases of carbamazepine-induced electrical conduction disorders have been reported in patients with a cardiac condition. However, this patient had no history of heart disease Labrecque J, et al. Carbamazepine-induced atrioventricular block. American Journal of Psychiatry 149: 572-573, Apr 1992 - Canada 800131908 1 Reactions 9 May 1992 No. 400 0114-9954/10/0400-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
Transcript of Carbamazepine
Reactions 400 - 9 May 1992
Carbamazepine
Heart block: case reportAfter 3 years’ treatment with carbamazepine 200 mg/day for
psychotic depression, a 63-year-old woman developedatrioventricular block. She presented with exertional dyspnoeaand, although ECG was normal, the treadmill stress testshowed a second-degree atrioventricular block Holtermonitoring revealed episodes of third-degree atrioventricularblock with ventricular escape. Dyspnoea disappeared aftercarbamazepine withdrawal. However, the patient’s psychiatriccondition began to deteriorate rapidly. Cardiac symptomsreturned within a few weeks of restarting carbamazepinetherapy and, thus, this therapy was discontinued. Follow-upECGs and Holter monitoring were normal
Comment:Cases of carbamazepine-induced electricalconduction disorders have been reported in patients with acardiac condition. However, this patient had no history ofheart diseaseLabrecque J, et al. Carbamazepine-induced atrioventricular block. AmericanJournal of Psychiatry 149: 572-573, Apr 1992 - Canada 800131908
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Reactions 9 May 1992 No. 4000114-9954/10/0400-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2010 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved
