Arrhythmias terfenadine causing

Some macrolides (particularly erythromycin and clarithromycin) appear to reduce the metabolism of terfenadine and astemizole by inhibition of the cytochrome P450 isoenzyme CYP3A. High serum levels of astemizole and terfenadine cause a prolongation of the QT interval and may precipitate the development of torsade de pointes arrhythmia, see Table 15.2 , (p.583). The risk of cardiac arrhythmias with other non-sedating antihistamines appears to be non-existent or very much lower (see Table... 

The occurrence of cardiac toxicity was closely correlated with terfenadine use, and subsequent in vitro studies confirmed that terfenadine (but not fexofenadine) efficiently blocks cardiac potassium channels (14). A study in healthy volunteers treated concomitantly with terfenadine and ketoconazole found a linear relationship between trough terfenadine concentrations and QTC intervals. The QTC interval lengthened up to 110 millisecond at the highest plasma concentrations of 45 ng/mL (9). Thus, the direct inhibitory effect of terfenadine on cardiac potassium channels results in prolongation of cardiac repolarization, which is a well-known cause of ventricular arrhythmias. In one death in which terfenadine was implicated, plasma level of the drug was 55 ng/mL several hours after the last ingestion of the drug (when it normally should be undetectable). 

VENLAFAXINE 1. ANTIARRHYTHMICS - amiodarone, disopyramide, procainamide, propafenone 2. ANTIBIOTICS — macrolides (especially azithromycin, clarithromycin, parenteral erythromycin, telithromycin), quinolones (especially moxifloxacin), quinupristin/ dalfopristin 3. ANTICANCER AND IMMUNOMODULATING DRUGS -arsenic trioxide 4. ANTIDEPRESSANTS-TCAs 5. ANTIEMETICS-dolasetron 6. ANTIFUNGALS-fluconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole 7. ANTIHISTAMINES-terfenadine, hydroxyzine, mizolastine 8. ANTIMALARIALS -artemetherwith lumefantrine, chloro-quine, hydroxychloroquine, mefloquine, quinine 9. ANTIPROTOZOALS -pentamidine isetionate 10. ANTIPSY-CHOTICS - atypicals, phenothiazines, pimozide 11. BETA-BLOCKERS -sotalol 12. BRONCHODILATORS-parenteral bronchodilators 13. CNS STIMULANTS - atomoxetine Risk of ventricular arrhythmias, particularly torsades de pointes Additive effect these drugs cause prolongation of the Q-T interval Avoid co-administration... 

Macrolide antibiotics are contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity or intolerance to any macrolide. Because clarithromycin can have adverse effects on embryo-fetal development in animals, this drug should be avoided in pregnant women unless no other therapy is appropriate. Concurrent administration of the macrolides and astemizole or terfenadine can cause elected antihistamine levels, resulting in life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, and should be avoided. 

Ketoconazole can increase the concentrations of astemi-zole and terfenadine by inhibition of CYP3A4. High concentrations of terfenadine can cause cardiac toxicity. Increased plasma concentrations of unmetabohzed terfenadine prolong the QT interval and carry the risk of torsade de pointes and other fatal ventricular arrhythmias (13). 

Potentially harmful drug interactions may not be identified during controlled clinical trials, due to the exclusion of patients taking concomitant medications, which are not allowed to be taken during a study. For example, terfenadine, a novel nonsedating antihistamine which was found to cause a serious and potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia, torsades de pointes, when administered with keto-conazole or erythromycin, and this could not realistically have been expected to be identified in the clinical trial setting. The mechanism of this adverse drug interaction was found to be due to cumulation of unmetabolized terfenadine, due to inhibition of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) by ketoconazole or erythromycin the parent terfenadine molecule is usually cleared very rapidly when there is no concomitant CYP inhibitor. 

Terfenadine. The potential of this drug to cause ventricular arrhythmias and death has precipitated its removal from the U.S. market. 

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