What is the recommended treatment for torsades de pointes?

Magnesium sulfate is the recommended treatment for torsades de pointes, which is a type of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia often associated with a prolonged QT interval. This condition can lead to significant hemodynamic instability and may degenerate into ventricular fibrillation if not treated promptly.

Magnesium plays a critical role in stabilizing myocardial cells and helps to restore normal electrical activity in the heart. Administering magnesium sulfate can effectively terminate torsades de pointes and prevent further arrhythmias, particularly in patients with existing electrolyte disturbances or those on medications that prolong the QT interval.

While defibrillation is an essential treatment for unstable ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, it is not the first-line therapy specifically for torsades de pointes if the patient is stable; rather, the restoration of normal electrolyte levels is prioritized. Cardiac catheterization is not indicated in this acute setting as it is a diagnostic and interventional procedure primarily used for coronary artery disease rather than for management of arrhythmias. Amiodarone is also sometimes utilized for ventricular tachycardia, but magnesium sulfate specifically addresses the underlying pathophysiology of torsades de pointes effectively.

Thus, the administration of magnesium sulfate directly targets the issue