OBJECTIVE: To present a case of fluconazole-associated torsade de pointes (
TDP) and discuss fluconazole's role in causing TDP.
CASE SUMMARY: A 68-year-old white woman with Candida glabrata isolated from
a presacral abscess developed TDP eight days after commencing oral flucona
zole. The patient had no other risk factors for TDP, including coronary art
ery disease, cardiomyopathy, congestive heart failure, and electrolyte abno
rmalities. There was a temporal association between the initiation of fluco
nazole and TDP. The TDP resolved when fluconazole was discontinued; however
, the patient continued to have premature ventricular contractions and nons
ustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) until six days after drug cessation
.
DISCUSSION: Use of the Naranjo probability scale indicates a probable relat
ionship between the use of fluconazole and the development of TDP. The poss
ible mechanism is depression of rapidly activating delayed rectifier potass
ium currents. In our patient, there was no other etiology identified that c
ould explain QT prolongation or TDP. The complete disappearance of NSVT and
premature ventricular contractions followed by normalization of QT interva
l after the drug was stopped strongly suggests fluconazole as the etiology.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinicians should be aware that fluconazole, even at low doses
, may cause prolongation of the QT interval, leading to TDP, Serial electro
cardiographic monitoring may be considered when fluconazole is administered
in patients who are at risk for ventricular arrhythmias.