Torsades de pointes following intravenous erythromycin

[Extract] A 39 year old man presented to the Emergency Department at Fremantle Hospital (EDFH) on 1 June 1995. He gave a one week history of progressive deterioration in his health. Initially, he had sore throat and lower back pain. He was given amoxycillin/clavulanate for upper respiratory tract infection by his general practitioner. He became more unwell, developing sweats and rigors. The night before presentation he became dyspnoeic at rest, with orthopnoea. He was known to be hepatitis B positive and smoked five cigarettes a day