[Sinus arrest after intravenous administration of lidocaine].

A 60-year-old patient with coronary artery disease and antecedent (1976) myocardial infarction developed sinus standstill with nodal bradycardia of 41/min while on antiarrhythmic treatment with lidocain (2 mg/min drip infusion). Severe hypotension (70/50 mm Hg) occurred concomitantly. Withdrawal of lidocain and intravenous injection of 0.5 mg atropine restored sinus rhythm within 4 min, followed by a very sluggish, gradual increase in blood pressure over the next 45 minutes. Fortunately this episode did no harm to the patient. He was allowed to leave hospital 6 days later as there was no evidence of a second myocardial infarction and anginal pain was successfully controlled.