Frontiers in Medicine (May 2022)

Sudden Cardiac Arrest in a Patient With COVID-19 as a Result of Severe Hyperkalemia After Administration of Succinylcholine Chloride for Reintubation. A Case Report

  • Mateusz Putowski,
  • Mateusz Putowski,
  • Tomasz Drygalski,
  • Andrzej Morajda,
  • Jarosław Woroń,
  • Jarosław Woroń,
  • Tomasz Sanak,
  • Tomasz Sanak,
  • Jerzy Wordliczek,
  • Jerzy Wordliczek

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.843282
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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BackgroundWe present a case study of a man with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who developed cardiac arrest as a result of hyperkalemia following administration of chlororsuccinylcholine during endotracheal intubation.Case SummaryA patient with a severe course of COVID-19, hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit, underwent reintubation on day 16. The applied scheme was rapid sequence induction and intubation with administration of chlororsuccinylcholine. Immediately after intubation, there was a sudden cardiac arrest due to hyperkalemia (cK + 10.2 meq/L). Treatment was initiated as per guidelines, which resulted in a return to spontaneous circulation after 6 min.ConclusionChlorsucynylcholine may cause life-threatening hyperkalemia. We recommend using rocuronium as a neuromuscular blocking agent in critically ill COVID-19 patients due to its more optimal safety profile.

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