Citation

Vincenzi FF. Med. Hypotheses 2016; 87: 11-13.

Affiliation

Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-7280, USA; PHICS, 24203 35th Ave NE, Arlington, WA 98223, USA. Electronic address: vincenzi@uw.edu.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2016, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.mehy.2015.12.015

PMID

26826633

Abstract

There is strong evidence linking inherited long QT syndromes with an increased risk of drowning due to fatal arrhythmias in the water. Drug-induced long QT syndrome (DILQTS) is hypothesized to increase the risk of drowning by similar mechanisms. It is suggested that QT prolongation caused by a drug or drugs, when combined with the autonomic conflict associated with the mammalian dive reflex and/or the cold shock reflex, sets up conditions that may result in a sudden fatal arrhythmia while in water - thus an increased risk of drowning related to a drug-induced prolongation of the QT interval. Many widely used drugs prolong the QT interval thus raising a drug safety issue that needs confirmation or refutation.

Language: en