Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: Background: Khat is a natural stimulant from the Catha edulis plant containing several chemical components, which can explain palpitation as a frequent symptom that develops during or after khat chewing.Aims: To study the effects of khat chewing on cardiac rhythm.Methods: We selected sixty khat-chewing Yemeni individuals and divided them into two groups: 30 were cardiac patients and the other 30 were non-cardiac individuals.All 60 individuals underwent 24 hours holter monitoring for 2 consequent days; the first was a khat-free day and the next was a khat-chewing day.The two groups were matched for age, sex, smoking habit, BSA, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.Non sustained Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) was defined as 3 or more wide QRS complexes at a rate of 120 beats/min and for a period less than 20 seconds.Results: The non-sustained VT was found on 7 (23.3%) of the 30 cardiac patients on a khat-chewing day compared to 2 patients (6.6%) on a khat-free day (p < 0.01).A significant difference was also seen among the normal individuals; 1 patient (3.3%) developed short runs of VT on a khat-chewing day compared to non VT on a khat-free day.Conclusions: 1) Serious arrhythmias occur in both cardiac and noncardiac individuals during khat chewing days although they are more prominent among cardiac patients.2) This may indicate beta-blocker usage for high risk khat chewers before khat chewing.
Source: OALib
Authors: Dhaifullah Jayed, Mohamed Ali Al-Huthi
Institution: Thamar University
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2475519970