Acute Pulmonary Edema Induced by a Low Dose of Ritodrine Hydrochloride: A Case Report.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Acute pulmonary edema associated with ritodrine hydrochloride is a rare, life-threatening complication, and dose and duration of ritodrine use are closely associated with this pathology. We report a case of acute pulmonary edema associated with short-duration infusion of ritodrine hydrochloride in a patient with pectus excavatum as an underlying factor.

CASE REPORT:

A 30-year-old healthy pregnant woman was treated with oral ritodrine for tocolysis between 31 and 35 weeks of pregnancy. At 36 weeks of gestation, she went into preterm labor, with premature rupture of the membrane and breech presentation, and received an infusion of ritodrine hydrochloride for a few hours. Although she was normotensive until labor onset, mild hypertension and proteinuria were recognized. Intraoperatively, a funnel-chest deformity was observed, and she developed postoperative pulmonary edema associated with dyspnea and wet cough and confirmed on chest radiography and arterial gas analysis, and recovered with supportive care.

CONCLUSION:

Small-dose infusion of ritodrine hydrochloride might cause pulmonary edema in patients with underlying medical problems, including pectus excavatum.

• Authors: Kahori Shimizu, Maki Nanba, Yu Takaishi, Nobutaka Hayashi, Shinya Yoshioka, Mineo Yamasaki
• Journal: The Kobe journal of medical sciences (Kobe J Med Sci) Vol. 66 Issue 5 Pg. E166-E169 (Mar 25 2021) ISSN: 1883-0498 [Electronic] Japan
• PMID: 34001683 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Tocolytic Agents
• Ritodrine

Topics

• Adult
• Cesarean Section
• Female
• Humans
• Infusions, Parenteral
• Lung (drug effects)
• Obstetric Labor, Premature (prevention & control)
• Pregnancy
• Pulmonary Edema (chemically induced, drug therapy)
• Ritodrine (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Tocolytic Agents (administration & dosage, adverse effects, therapeutic use)
• Treatment Outcome
• Uterine Contraction (drug effects)