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. 2021 Feb 26;3(3):115–121. doi: 10.1253/circrep.CR-20-0115

Table 6.

Summary of Previously Reported Cases Describing QTc and Fatal Arrhythmias in Patients Taking Donepezil

Case report Patient age
(years), sex		 Chief complaint Types of arrhythmia Comorbidities Daily dose
of donepezil		 Concomitant medications
(daily dose)		 QTc at first
visit (s)		 Treatment Outcome QTc at
discharge (s)
Suleyman et al5 82, M Dizziness and
syncope		 CAVB and NSVT None 10 mg for the previous
1 month		 None Unknown Temporary pacemaker
and discontinuation
of donepezil		 Discharged on
Day 6		 Unknown
Leitch et al6 76, F Two syncope
episodes		 Sinus bradycardia
and TdP		 Depression 10 mg for 2 years Omeprazole 20 mg,
escitalopram 10 mg,
propranolol 80 mg		 0.590–0.777 Intravenous magnesium, an
infusion of isoprenaline, and
temporary cardiac pacing
and discontinuation of
donepezil		 Discharged 0.436
Tanaka et al7
　Case 1 90, M Accidental
bradycardia		 Advanced
atrioventricular
block		 None 10 mg (increased from 5
to 10 mg 3 days earlier)		 None 0.514 (QT,
not QTc)		 Donepezil was
discontinued and
orciprenaline was
administered instead		 No significant
arrhythmia
occurred thereafter
for 2 months		 0.456
　Case 2 87, F Syncope, vomiting,
and nausea		 TdP HTN, AF 5 mg Cilostazol 100 mg, amlodipine
5 mg, spironolactone 25 mg,
warfarin 1 mg		 0.594 Orciprenaline was
administered; donepezil
was discontinued		 Discharged on
Day 37		 0.446
Takaya et al8 83, F Diarrhea, vomiting,
and syncope		 TdP HTN, DM, PAF, and
OMI		 5 mg for at least 2
years		 Bisoprolol 5 mg 0.645 Discontinuation of
donepezil		 Discharged on
Day 14		 0.485
Hadano et al9 86, F Syncope attack TdP HTN 5 mg for 3 years Amlodipine 5 mg 0.436 Intravenous infusion of
lidocaine and
discontinuation of donepezil		 Discharged “Normal”
Kitt et al10 80, F Diarrhea, vomiting,
and worsening
confusion		 Polymorphic
ventricular
tachycardia		 CVD, AF, pacemaker
implantation		 10 mg (increased from 5
to 10 mg 2 weeks earlier)		 Bumetanide 2 mg, perindopril
8 mg, lansoprazole 30 mg,
atorvastatin 20 mg, diltiazem
60 mg, fluoxetine 60 mg		 0.490 Cardioversion,
discontinuation of donepezil,
and reduction of fluoxetine		 Discharged 0.431
Gurbuz et al11 84, F Recurrent syncope TdP None 10 mg for 1 year None 0.624 Discontinuation of donepezil No recurrence of
syncope thereafter
for 1 year		 0.430

AF, atrial fibrillation; CAVB, complete atrioventricular block; CVD, cerebrovascular disease; DM, diabetes mellitus; F, female; HTN, hypertension; M, male; NSVT, non-sustained ventricular tachycardia; OMI, old myocardial infarction; PAF, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation; TdP, Torsades de Pointes.