Trazodone-Associated Syncope in a Patient with Congenital Cardiac Anomalies

Abstract

Objective:

To report a case of trazodone-associated syncope in a 19-year-old woman with congenital cardiac anomalies and to review risk factors and mechanisms involved in this case.

Case Summary:

A 19-year-old woman diagnosed with Noonan syndrome with congenital cardiac anomalies tolerated sertraline, but had a syncopal episode when trazodone was used. There was no recurrence of syncope after the trazodone was discontinued.

Discussion:

The syncopal episode could have resulted from either trazodone or congenital heart disease, but it most likely resulted from a trazodone–congenital heart disease interaction. Trazodone is not cardiotoxic in most patients; our patient was probably vulnerable to the cardiotoxic effects of trazodone due to congenital cardiac defects.

Conclusions:

Trazodone can precipitate arrhythmias or syncope in susceptible patients with heart disease and should be prescribed cautiously in patients with congenital heart disease. In such cases, it may be safer to use a selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitor.