A POTENTIAL ROLE FOR GLUCAGON IN THE TREATMENT OF DRUG-INDUCED SYMPTOMATIC BRADYCARDIA

Nine cases of symptomatic bradycardia are presented in which treatment with intravenous glucagon was administered when atropine failed to im prove the patient's condition significantly. Although the cause often was not obvious at presentation, all nine subjects took oral medicatio ns that could have contributed to the development of symptomatic brady cardia. Eight of nine patients demonstrated clinical improvement 5 to 10 min after glucagon administration, which was consistent with its pe ak clinical action. Beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, and digox in were ultimately thought to have contributed to the majority of thes e presentations. This report suggests that glucagon may have a role in the treatment of symptomatic bradycardia, particularly in the presenc e of beta-adrenergic blockade and perhaps calcium channel blockade. Fu rthermore, the results in these cases suggest that future clinical tri als should not be limited to drug-induced symptomatic bradycardia.