The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Vol 72, 464-467, Copyright © 1976 by The American Association for Thoracic Surgery and The Western Thoracic Surgical Association
Quinidine syncope. A report of successful treatment with bretylium tosylate
CR VanderArk, EW Reynolds, DR Kahn and G Tullett
Quinidine syncope is an unpredictable side effect of quinidine
administrateion which has a mortality rate of 11.5 per cent when managed
with conventional drugs and direct-current countershock. In 2 patients with
quindine syncope, the arrhythmias were effectively controlled within 30
minutes following the slow infusion of 150 mg. of bretylium tosylate. This
control is contrasted with 2 cases managed in the conventional manner.
Bretylium tosylate is a quaternary amine with unique antifibrillatory
properties and appears to have a significant role in the management of
these arrhylmias.