Sunday October 25, 2009


Q: What is the basis of treatment for Torsade de Pointes?

Answer: The basis of treatment for Torsade de Pointe is sppression of early afterdepolarizations.

Magnesium is the drug of choice for suppressing EADs and terminating the arrhythmia. This is achieved by decreasing the influx of calcium, thus lowering the amplitude of EADs. Magnesium is effective even in patients with normal magnesium levels.

Some authorities recommend supplemental potassium to increase the potassium concentration to high normal, which increases the efflux of potassium from myocardial cells, thus causing rapid repolarization.