Excess of high-caffeinated energy drinks causing ventricular arrhythmias

Abstract

ABSTRACT A young male patient had palpitations after consumption of few high caffeinated energy drinks which he took after his office hours to relieve fatigue. He immediately seeked medical help. Electrocardiogram showed multiple runs of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia and ventricular bigeminy and trigeminy. Echocardiography was normal. The patient was admitted to intensive care unit and treated with anti-arrhythmic drugs to which the arrhythmias responded and subsided. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of heart did not reveal any structural heart abnormality and treadmill stress test was negative ruling out significant coronary artery disease. High caffeinated energy drinks can produce serious ventricular arrhythmias if taken beyond safe doses. These ventricular arrhythmias are known to be causative factor for sudden cardiac arrest and therefore a caution & regulation is needed in widespread unrestricted used of these drinks.