A doctor recently shared a striking case from the emergency room that has sparked widespread discussion online. The story highlights how a seemingly harmless over-the-counter medicine can interact with other substances and lead to unexpected medical complications.
The incident involved a 24-year-old man who was rushed to the emergency room by his hostel friends after suddenly experiencing severe palpitations and breathlessness during what had otherwise been an ordinary night.
A sudden medical emergency after a normal evening
According to the doctor’s account, the young man arrived at the ER extremely restless and visibly distressed. His heart rate had soared to 212 beats per minute, far above the normal resting range of 60–100 beats per minute.
“He couldn’t sit still and kept gripping the bed rail while the monitor showed his heart racing at 212,” the doctor wrote in the post.
Initial tests revealed that the patient was experiencing narrow complex tachycardia, a condition in which the heart suddenly beats very rapidly due to abnormal electrical signals.
Interestingly, the patient had no previous history of heart problems and had never experienced a similar episode before.
What happened that night?
Doctors began tracing back the events leading up to the episode.
The patient and his hostel mates had spent the evening together drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes. At some point, a joint was shared among five friends.
Despite consuming the same substances in the same environment, only one person developed severe symptoms, leaving doctors puzzled.
“All of them had the same alcohol, the same cigarettes, and the same joint,” the doctor noted. “So what made his reaction different?”
Doctors attempt to stabilise the heart rhythm
At the hospital, medical staff attempted a Valsalva manoeuvre, a commonly used technique where a patient performs a controlled breathing effort to help reset the heart’s rhythm.
The method worked quickly.
“The rhythm broke and he converted back to sinus rhythm,” the doctor explained, meaning the patient’s heartbeat returned to normal.
With the immediate crisis under control, doctors continued questioning him about any medications or substances he might have taken recently.
The small detail that changed everything
During a second round of questioning, the patient recalled taking one tablet the day before for a minor fungal infection. The medicine was fluconazole 150 mg, an antifungal drug widely available in pharmacies.
He had purchased it over the counter and had almost forgotten about it.
This small detail turned out to be crucial.
Why only one person was affected
While the patient’s friends processed THC at a normal rate, his liver was temporarily slowed by the antifungal medication. This caused the compound to build up in his system and trigger a powerful sympathetic nervous system response, which can increase heart rate and blood pressure.
This chain reaction is what likely pushed his heart rate to the dangerous level of 212 beats per minute. Fortunately, the young man’s condition stabilised soon after treatment.
