Cardiotoxicity of yew

Cor et Vasa

Volume 57, Issue 3, June 2015, Pages e234–e238

Case report

• Ondřej Piskač^{a, ,} ,
• Jan Stříbrný^b,
• Hana Rakovcová^c,
• Martin Malý^a

doi:10.1016/j.crvasa.2014.11.003

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Abstract

The Common Yew (Taxus baccata) is an ornamental tree. The taxine alkaloids contained in yew berries, needles or bark are poisonous. The lethal dose for an adult is reported to be 50 g of yew needles. Patients who ingest a lethal dose frequently die due to cardiogenic shock, in spite of resuscitation efforts. Although no specific therapy exists, in some patients the asystole phase can be overcome by instituting extracorporeal membrane oxygen therapy (ECMO). Therapeutic procedures reported in the literature are only referred to in published case reports and it is not self-evident whether they have been effective or whether the patient had ingested a non-lethal dose of the toxins. In our case report, we describe lethal intoxication by common yew needles in a suicide attempt and summarize the treatment options referred to in literature.

Keywords

• Yew;
• Poisoning;
• Arrhythmia;
• Heart failure;
• ECMO

Corresponding author. Tel.: +420 608542403.

Copyright © 2014 The Czech Society of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.