Fast and furious: flecainide toxicity presenting as monomorphic ventricular tachycardia

Abstract

A 63-year-old woman on flecainide, furosemide, and triamterene–hydrochlorothiazide presented with weakness and diarrhoea. She had profound hyponatraemia, hypokalaemia and a pre-renal acute kidney injury (AKI). Her ECG showed a regular wide complex tachycardia concerning for monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. She was haemodynamically stable and treated with aggressive electrolyte repletion and amiodarone. Flecainide toxicity can present as a variety of arrhythmias and early recognition is crucial. This case focuses on flecainide toxicity from multiple concomitant insults: diuretic use, diarrhoea, hypokalaemia, hyponatraemia and pre-renal AKI. We emphasise the importance of close outpatient monitoring of electrolytes in a patient on diuretics and flecainide to prevent life-threatening arrhythmias. We discourage use of multiple diuretics in patients taking flecainide.