4 May, 2021
Drug-induced QT prolongation
- QT prolongation is a recognised risk factor for the development of ventricular arrhythmias including torsades de pointes that may result in sudden cardiac death
- Many risk factors are associated with QT prolongation; drugs are the most common risk factor
- Before initiating a QT prolonging drug, patients should be assessed for other risk factors and any modifiable risk factors should be corrected
- Co-administration of a QT prolonging drug with other QT prolonging drugs and/or hepatic cytochrome P450 isoenzyme inhibitors which interfere with QT prolonging drugs should be avoided