Calcium Infusion for Reversal of Adverse Effects of Intravenous Verapamil
- D. Lynn Morris, MD;
- Nora Goldschlager, MD
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
Excerpt
VERAPAMIL hydrochloride has been shown to be useful in the treatment of symptomatic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by decreasing left ventricular outflow obstruction, reducing left ventricular muscle mass, and increasing left ventricular diastolic compliance.1-4 Verapamil-related hemodynamic and electrophysiological complications in these cases have been documented in those with high pulmonary capillary wedge pressures in the presence of left ventricular outflow obstruction, evidence of congestive heart failure, substantive atrioventricular nodal dysfunction, and hypotension.3 Although clinical experience suggests that calcium may be effective in reversing the adverse effects of verapamil, such therapy has not been widely publicized.4-8 We report a case of a patient with hypotension and profound bradycardia caused by verapamil therapy for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which responded well to calcium chloride.
Report of a Case A 56-year-old woman with echocardiographic diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, asymmetric septal hypertrophy, and systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve was admitted to San Francisco
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to Cardiology Service, San Francisco General Hospital, 1001 Potrero Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110 (Dr Goldschlager).
