[Torsade de pointes and use of phenothiazine and diuretic].

A 54-year-old woman with recurrent episodes of syncope fainted on admission. An episode of torsade de pointes was registered on electrocardiographic monitoring. We assume that the combined effects of phenothiazine and of hypokalemia (2.6 meq/l) caused by chlorthalidone provoked the condition. Diuretics should be used with caution in patients on phenothiazines.

[Extracardiac malignancy presenting with cardiac tamponade].

We describe a 65-year-old man with cardiac tamponade as the first manifestation of malignancy. Biochemical, bacteriological and cytological examinations of the pericardial fluid were not diagnostic. Abdominal CT showed a mass in the right adrenal and fine needle aspiration revealed metastatic carcinoma. The patient died 4 months later with the clinical and roentgenological picture of bronchogenic carcinoma.