Abstract
Antiemetic medications are commonly prescribed in the acute care setting. Most carry a warning for QTc interval prolongation, which may devolve into potentially fatal arrhythmias. Ondansetron, the most commonly prescribed antiemetic, increases the QTc interval by 6–20 ms, which is not sufficient to cause cardiac arrhythmias in most patients. The risk of significant QTc prolongation after receiving an antiemetic drug is significantly associated with preexisting QTc prolongation, electrolyte abnormalities, and organ failure. Patients who are known to have underlying risk factors should have a screening electrocardiogram performed prior to medication administration. Other patients can safely receive a single dose of an antiemetic without any preceding tests.
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Kean, E.R., Hinton, M., Roepke, C. (2019). When Should QT Prolongation Be Considered in Antiemetic Use?. In: Graham, A., Carlberg, D.J. (eds) Gastrointestinal Emergencies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98343-1_38
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-98343-1_38
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