Acute atrial fibrillation complicating organophosphorus poisoning

Abstract

Organophosphorus (OP) pesticide poisoning is a major clinical and public health problem in a developing country like India. Cardiac injury is a strong predictor of death in these patients. Cardiac complications usually described include cardiac arrest, pulmonary edema, and arrhythmia. Rarely, myocardial infarction has also been reported. The possible mechanisms for myocardial injury include sympathetic/parasympathetic overactivity, hypoxemia, acidosis, dyselectrolytemia, and direct cardiotoxicity. We describe herein one case of OP poisoning, recently admitted in our emergency department and which was complicated by acute onset atrial fibrillation which reverted to sinus rhythm following detoxification of OP compound.

Keywords

• Atrial fibrillation
• cardiac toxicity
• organophosphorus pesticides