Hypocalcemia and Intractable Ventricular Fibrillation
Authors: HIROFUMI KAMBARA
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1977)

Letters1 May 1977Hypocalcemia and Intractable Ventricular FibrillationHIROFUMI KAMBARA, M.D., BRUCE J. ITELD, M.D., JOHN PHILLIPS, M.D., F.A.C.P.HIROFUMI KAMBARA, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, BRUCE J. ITELD, M.D.Search for more papers by this author, JOHN PHILLIPS, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-86-5-583_2 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptIt is well recognized that hypocalcemia causes prolongation of the Q-Tc interval and variable T wave changes on the electrocardiogram. Only a few authors have reported cardiac arrhythmias as a clinical manifestation of hypocalcemia, however.Castellanos and associates (1) reported 2:1 atrioventricular block in a 6-year-old child with hypocalcemia. Griffin (2) reported heart block in two infants where normal sinus rhythm was restored after intravenous calcium therapy. Jacobson and Schrire (3) commented on a young Bantu girl with a serum calcium of 4.6 mg/dl who experienced an attack of spontaneous ventricular fibrillation that was restored to normal sinus rhythm by...References1. CASTELLANOSDE LA TORREAZÁN AHL: Unusual forms of heart block in infancy. Br Heart J 22:713-719, 1960 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. GRIFFIN J: Neonatal hypocalcemia and complete heart block. Am J Dis Child 110:672-675, 1965 MedlineGoogle Scholar3. JACOBSONSCHRIRE DV: Giant T wave inversion. Br Heart J 28:768-775, 1966 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. JOHNSONJENNINGS JR: Hypocalcemia and cardiac arrhythmias. Am J Dis Child 115:373-376, 1968 MedlineGoogle Scholar5. PHILLIPSICHINOSE JH: Clinical and pathologic studies in the hereditary syndrome of a long QT interval, syncopal spells and sudden death. Chest 58:236-243, 1970 CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Department of Medicine Tulane University School of Medicine Cardiology Section Veterans Administration Hospital New Orleans, LA 70112 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited ByReversible cardiac dysfunction associated with hypocalcemia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient dataMiscellaneous Electrocardiographic Topics20 Miscellaneous Electrocardiographic TopicsNutrition and Heart Failure: Impact of Drug Therapies and Management StrategiesAuthor's replyRelation of Left Ventricular Mass and QT Dispersion in Patients With Systematic HypertensionHypocalcemic and hypercalcemic disorders in childrenHypocalcemic torsades de pointesTorsades de pointes associated with drugs and toxins: Recognition and managementProlonged repolarization: A historical perspectiveVentricular Fibrillation II: Progress Report since 1971Long QT: Good, bad or indifferent?"Les Torsades de Pointes": An Unusual Ventricular ArrhythmiaWARREN M. SMITH, M.D., JOHN J. GALLAGHER, M.D. 1 May 1977Volume 86, Issue 5Page: 583-584KeywordsArrhythmiaCalciumElectrocardiographyHeartHypocalcemiaInfantsVentricular fibrillation Issue Published: 1 May 1977 PDF DownloadLoading ...