Leuprolide acetate is a synthetic nonpeptide analog that is a potent gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor agonist. It is used in diverse clinical applications, including treatment for prostate cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids as well as the in vitro fertilization technique. Prolonged QT interval leading to torsades de pointes (TdP) is one of the very rare side effects of leuprolide therapy. Herein, we report a 68-year-old male patient with a history of prostate cancer post-radiation and on androgen suppression therapy with leuprolide who suffered from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. After initial resuscitation, the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc), which subsequently progressed into a TdP rhythm, requiring lidocaine drip initially. The patient's symptoms improved, and his ECG rhythm was resolved after initiating mexiletine and propranolol treatment with no recurrent TdP episodes after discontinuation of leuprolide.
Keywords: drug-induced torsades de pointes; leuprolide; leuprolide-induced arrhythmia; leuprolide-induced torsades de pointes; torsades de pointes (tdp).
Copyright © 2020, Abbasi et al.