Torsades de Pointes associated with intravenous haloperidol in critically ill patients

N D Sharma; H S Rosman; I D Padhi; J E Tisdale

doi:10.1016/s0002-9149(97)00888-6

Torsades de Pointes associated with intravenous haloperidol in critically ill patients

Am J Cardiol. 1998 Jan 15;81(2):238-40. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(97)00888-6.

Authors

N D Sharma¹, H S Rosman, I D Padhi, J E Tisdale

Affiliation

¹ Department of Internal Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, and the College of Pharmacy, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan 48202, USA.

PMID: 9591913
DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9149(97)00888-6

Abstract

In this retrospective case-control study, 8 of 223 consecutive patients (3.6%) treated with intravenous haloperidol developed torsades de pointes, and were compared with 41 patients randomly selected as controls. The likelihood of torsades de pointes associated with intravenous haloperidol is significantly greater in patients receiving > or = 35 mg over 24 hours or in those with a QTc interval of >500 ms, or both.

Publication types

Comparative Study

MeSH terms

Adult
Aged
Case-Control Studies
Critical Illness
Dopamine Antagonists / administration & dosage
Dopamine Antagonists / adverse effects*
Electrocardiography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Haloperidol / administration & dosage
Haloperidol / adverse effects*
Humans
Infusions, Intravenous
Length of Stay
Male
Middle Aged
Retrospective Studies
Torsades de Pointes / chemically induced*

Substances

Dopamine Antagonists
Haloperidol