Electrocardiogram in coma due to intoxication

ABSTRACT

We analyzed electrocardiogram changes of 20 patients treated because of Intoxication coma at the Department of Internal Medicine. Particular attention was paid to the corrected Q-T interval. The etiology of intoxication coma was the use of anxiolytics, ethanol, pesticides, antidepressants, anti-epileptics, sedatives, hypnotics, trichlorethylene and anti-diabetic chlorpropamide. According to Reed's classification of the depth of coma, nine patients were in degree O-I, seven in degree II-III, and four in degree IV coma. The duration of coma ranged from one hour to six days. Four patients had died, while in 16 the course of the illness was satisfactory. Sinus tachycardia was registered in 11 patients, atrial fibrillation in two, and in seven patients the rhythm was regular. Fifteen of the 20 patients [75%] had had the corrected Q-T interval prolonged with values of up to 0.664 seconds on admission, while in two patients the corrected Q-T interval became prolonged during hospitalization. Malignant dysrhythmia was registered in one patient. The relative risk of a prolonged corrected Q-T in patients with intoxication coma measured 87. The relative risk of malignant ventricular dysrhythmia in a group of coma patients amounted to 30