Thioridazine (Mellaril®)-induced Ventricular Tachycardia Controlled with an Artificial Pacemaker
Authors: FRED W. SCHOONMAKER
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1966)

Brief Communication1 November 1966Thioridazine (Mellaril®)-induced Ventricular Tachycardia Controlled with an Artificial PacemakerFRED W. SCHOONMAKER, M.D., ROBERT T. OSTEEN, A.B., JOSEPH C. GREENFIELD JR., M.D.FRED W. SCHOONMAKER, M.D., ROBERT T. OSTEEN, A.B., JOSEPH C. GREENFIELD JR., M.D.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-65-5-1076 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptSince its introduction in 1959 as a psychotropic agent, thioridazine hydrochloride (Mellaril®) has shown a wide margin of therapeutic safety (1). Although it has antiarrhythmic properties (2), ventricular arrhythmias have occurred rarely during therapy with large doses (3, 4). In this paper, we report [1] ventricular tachycardia secondary to moderate amounts of thioridazine and [2] the successful treatment of this arrhythmia with an internal pacemaker after failure of the usual therapeutic measures.CASE REPORTPatient E. E. S., a 50-year-old Negro man, was admitted to the Durham Veterans Administration Hospital on October 30, 1965, for evaluation of schizophrenia. He had...References1. DIERKS M: A comparison of two phenothiazines in the treatment of schizophrenics. Amer. J. Psychiat. 119: 775, 1963. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. MADANPENDSE BRVK: Antiarrhythmic activity of thioridazine hydrochloride (Mellaril). Amer. J. Cardiol. 11: 78, 1963. CrossrefGoogle Scholar3. DESAUTELSFILTEAUST.-JEAN SCA: Ventricular tachycardia associated with administration of thioridazine hydrochloride (Mellaril): report of a case with a favourable outcome. Canad. Med. Ass. J. 90: 1030, 1964. MedlineGoogle Scholar4. KELLYFAYLAVERTY HGJESG: Thioridazine hyrochloride (Mellaril): its effect on the electrocardiogram and a report of two fatalities with electrocardiographic abnormalities. Canad. Med. Ass. J. 89: 546, 1963. MedlineGoogle Scholar5. BANST.-JEAN TAA: The effect of phenothiozines on the electrocardiogram. Canad. Med. Ass. J. 91: 537, 1964. MedlineGoogle Scholar6. SOWTONLEATHAMCARSON EAP: The suppression of arrhythmias by artificial pacemaking. Lancet 2: 1098, 1964. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar7. HEIMANHELWIG DFJ: Suppression of ventricular arrythmias by transvenous intracardiac pacing. JAMA 195: 172, 1966. CrossrefGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Durham, North CarolinaFrom the Department of Medicine, Durham Veterans Administration Hospital, and the Department of Medicine, the Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N. C.Dr. Greenfield is the recipient of a Career Development Award, supported by grant 1-K3-HE-28,112, the U. S. Public Health Service, Washington, D. C.Requests for reprints should be addressed to Fred W. Schoonmaker, M.D., Chief, Cardiovascular-Renal Section, Department of Medicine, Veterans Administration Hospital, Durham, N. C. 27705. 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ORGAIN, M.D.Recurrent Ventricular Tachycardia and Fibrillation Treated with a Combination of Beta-Adrenergic Blockade and Electrical PacingLAWRENCE S. COHEN, M.D., ROBERT A. BUCCINO, M.D., ANDREW G. MORROW, M.D., EUGENE BRAUNWALD, M.D., F.A.C.P. 1 November 1966Volume 65, Issue 5Page: 1076-1078KeywordsArrhythmiaHospital medicineMedical servicesPacemakersPrevention, policy, and public healthSchizophreniaTachycardiaVentricular tachycardia Issue Published: 1 November 1966 PDF DownloadLoading ...