BRADYCARDIA IN TOLUENE POISONING

Background: Tachyarrhythmias are the classical manifestation of toluen e cardiotoxicity. The presumed mechanism is sensitization of the myoca rdium to the potential arrhythmogenic effect of endogenous catecholami nes, occasionally resulting in fatality. Bradyarrhythmias have been re peatedly shown in animal models, but have been reported only once in a human. Case Reports: Two patients with toluene intoxication presented with severe sinus bradycardia. One patient had also atrial-ventricula r dissociation. In both cases cardiac rhythm returned to normal within several hours. Conclusion: We suggest that the spectrum of cardiotoxi c symptoms associated with toluene intoxication in humans includes bra dyarrhythmias as well as tachyarryhthmias.