Possible dangers of anaesthesia in patients receiving fenfluramine

Abstract

Following the report of the death of a patient concurrently taking fenfluramine, following routine general anaesthesia, a series of anaesthetised rabbits received injections of adrenaline or fenfluramine. There were abnormal electrocardiographic changes and phonocardiographic evidence of altered heart activity in both groups, but the changes seen with fenfluramine were greater in number and less readily reversed with beta blockers and resuscitative drugs. This evidence may support an interaction between halothane and fenfluramine in man, and it is suggested that the latter drug be discontinued for a week prior to anaesthesia for elective surgery.