Cardiac arrest in a young woman with the long QT syndrome and concomitant astemizole ingestion.

Abstract

Ventricular fibrillation developed in a 19 year old woman taking the antihistamine astemizole. She was successfully resuscitated. QTc prolongation was found and persisted despite withdrawal of the drug. Aggravation of congenital long QTc syndrome by astemizole is postulated. More caution should be exercised with the use of this drug.