Amiodarone-induced torsades de pointes in a patient with HIV on combination antiretroviral therapy

A case of prolongation of the QT interval and associated life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia is presented. The particular features of this case include HIV positivity, acute coronary ischemia, and treatment with drugs known to increase QT interval. The relationship between these potential causes is analyzed and discussed. This is the first report of such a complication of combined therapy with amiodarone and antiretroviral medication. Keywords Acquired long QT; torsades de pointes; ventricular fibrillation; drug interaction; highly active antiretroviral therapy.