Amisulpride deliberate self-poisoning causing severe cardiac toxicity including QT prolongation and torsades de pointes

Med J Aust. 2006 Apr 3;184(7):354-6. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2006.tb00272.x.

Abstract

Although clinical trials of the antipsychotic amisulpride revealed no cardiac adverse effects, four patients with severe cardiac toxicity after overdose were reported to Australian poisons information centres in 2004-2005. All four had QT prolongation over 500 ms, two had rate-dependent bundle branch block, two developed torsades de pointes, and one died after cardiac arrest. Pending further studies, we recommend electrocardiogram assessment until at least 16 h after amisulpride overdose and, if QT interval is prolonged, cardiac monitoring until the patient is clinically well and conduction intervals are normal.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amisulpride
  • Antipsychotic Agents / blood
  • Antipsychotic Agents / poisoning*
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / chemically induced*
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / diagnosis
  • Arrhythmias, Cardiac / therapy
  • Drug Overdose
  • Electrocardiography
  • Emergency Medicine / methods
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Suicide
  • Sulpiride / analogs & derivatives*
  • Sulpiride / blood
  • Sulpiride / poisoning
  • Torsades de Pointes / chemically induced
  • Torsades de Pointes / diagnosis
  • Torsades de Pointes / therapy
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antipsychotic Agents
  • Sulpiride
  • Amisulpride