Ventricular tachycardia in two patients with AIDS receiving ganciclovir (DHPG)

We report two cases of patients who developed ventricular tachycardia while receiving intravenous infusions of ganciclovir [9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxy)methylguanine, DHPG]. Worsening cytomegalovirus infection prompted renewal of ganciclovir therapy under close cardiac monitoring in one of these patients, and ventricular tachycardia recurred. The close temporal relationship between administration of the drug and onset of the arrhythmias in conjunction with the absence of other factors known to predispose to arrhythmias suggest that ganciclovir may have played a role in the development of arrhythmias in these patients. The clinical courses of the patients are discussed, as are autopsy results.