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Sudden death during a change in treatment for pulmonary hypertension

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2005

Henrik Brun ,
Henrik Holmström  and
Erik Thaulow
Henrik Brun
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, National Hospital (Rikshospitalet), Oslo, Norway
Henrik Holmström
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, National Hospital (Rikshospitalet), Oslo, Norway
Erik Thaulow
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatrics, National Hospital (Rikshospitalet), Oslo, Norway
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Abstract

We describe an infant with an atrioventricular septal defect and separate valvar orifices for the right and left ventricles, the so-called primum defect, who presented with serious pulmonary hypertension. Treatment with sildenafil was changed to intravenous epoprostenol due to lack of any measurable effects of the initial therapy as shown by echocardiography. The girl died three days after the change in treatment. We suggest that a mismatch between ventilation and perfusion contributed significantly to her death.

Keywords

Childcongenital cardiac diseaseepoprostenolsildenafil
Type
Brief Report
Information
Cardiology in the Young , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , March 2005 , pp. 223 - 225
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

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