Hypertension in Pregnancy, 29:148–152, 2010
Copyright © Informa UK Ltd.
ISSN: 1064-1955 print / 1525-6065 online
DOI: 10.3109/10641950902928571
LHIP 1064-1955 1525-6065 Hypertension in Pregnancy, Vol. 1, No. 1, May 2009: pp. 1–6 Hypertension in Pregnancy
Digitalis-Like Induced
Arrhythmia in a Patient
with Rheumatic Mitral
Regurgitation Complicated
by Preeclampsia
Digitalis in Preeclampsia Roscani et al.
Meliza G. Roscani MD,
1
Silméia G. Zanati MD,
1
Cláudia G. Magalhães MD,
2
Vera T. M. Borges MD, PhD,
2
and Beatriz B. Matsubara MD, PhD
1
1
Department of Internal Medicine, Botucatu Medical School, Unesp, São Paulo State,
Brazil
2
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, Unesp, São
Paulo State, Brazil
Objective. To report a case of cardiac arrhythmia related to a low dose of endovenous
lanatoside C. Case report. A 23-year-old pregnant woman with mitral regurgitation
complicated with preeclampsia and pulmonary edema presented 2 episodes of atrial
tachycardia induced by a intravenous digitalis (2 mg, IV and 1 mg, IV, respectively).
Conclusion. This case calls attention to the need for further studies analysing the
security of digoxin use in preeclampsia.
Keywords Heart failure, Preeclampsia, Case report, Mitral regurgitation, Digitalis.
INTRODUCTION
Endogenous digoxin-like immunoreactive substances (DLIS) have been
described in several pathological conditions including pregnancy-induced
hypertension (1,2). It is not known if these substances have any harmful car-
diovascular effect in patients with volume-expanded conditions (3). We report
herein a case of atrial tachycardia induced by a very low dose of digitalis
Address correspondence to Meliza Goi Roscani, Department of Internal Medicine,
Botucatu Medical School. São Paulo, Brazil 18618-000, Distr. Rubião Junior, Botucatu,
SP, Brazil. E-mail: meliza10@hotmail.com