Abstract

Dr. Tridip Kumar Sengupta*, Dr. Tanmay Mukhopadhyay and Dr. Kanak Kumar Mitra

ABSTRACT

Palpitation / Arrhythmia is one of the most important and common cardiological problem in any cardiology and / or Medical Out-patient Department (OPD) or Emergency Room(ER) of any hospital or clinic. Arrhythmia can cause palpitation, dizziness, syncope, chest pain or breathlessness and trigger heart failure or even sudden death.[1] The causes of arrhythmia are: (a) Cardiac – Ischaemic heart disease, structural changes (left atrial dilatation secondary to mitral regurgitation, cardiomyopathy, pericarditis, myocarditis, aberrant conduction pathways); (b) Non-cardiac: caffeine, smoking, alcohol, pneumonia, drugs (beta-blockers, digoxin, L-dopa, tricyclics, doxorubicine) and pheochromocytoma.[2] Fexofenadine is an anti-histamine used to relieve allergy symptoms such as watery eyes / runny nose, itching eyes / nose, sneezing etc. It works by blocking a certain natural substance (histamine) that our body makes during allergic reactions. This patient, having symptoms of allergic reactions took Fexofenadine, advised by allergy clinic. His allergic reaction subsided; but eventually he developed arrhythmia. The arrhythmia subsided after stoppage of Fexofenadine.