CINCHONISM

Course overview

THE TERM “CINCHONISM” IS DERIVED FROM THE SOURCE OF QUININE, THE BARK OF THE CINCHONA TREE. CINCHONISM IS A COLLECTION OF SYMPTOMS STEMMING FROM THE INGESTION OF QUINOLINE DERIVATIVES AND THEIR SUBSEQUENT NEURAL, RETINAL, AND AUDITORY TOXICITY. INGESTION OF QUINOLINE DERIVATIVES CAN PRODUCE A MULTITUDE OF DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS. QUINOLINE DERIVATIVES ARE USED FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, INCLUDING AS A CLASS 1A ANTIARRHYTHMIC (QUINIDINE), AN ANTI-MALARIAL AGENT, AND CERTAIN VIRAL INFECTIONS. TO AVOID LONG-TERM VISION DAMAGE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS CONDITION, CINCHONISM MUST BE PROMPTLY DIAGNOSED AND TREATED. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF CINCHONISM AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS DIAGNOSIS.