Cardiac arrest after ibogaine intoxication.
Christian Steinberg, Marc W Deyell
Journal of arrhythmia August 1, 2018 DOI: 10.1002/joa3.12061 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 61-year-old man who ingested a large dose of ibogaine |
| Intervention | Ibogaine |
| Dose | 65-70 mg/kg |
| Topics | Ibogaine |
| Keywords | Delayed qt recovery Drug‐induced qt prolongation Long‐qt Ventricular arrhythmia Ibogaine toxicity ibogaine Psychoactive herb ibogaine Cardiac risks Drug's prolonged impact Drug-induced qt prolongation Long-qt condition Defibrillation |
| Citations | 18 |
| Key findings | Ibogaine intoxication can cause massive QT prolongation and ventricular flutter, requiring defibrillation, with QT normalization taking 7 days due to the drug's long half-life. |
Abstract
Ibogaine is a psychoactive herbal medication with alleged antiaddiction properties. We report a case of ibogaine intoxication mimicking Long-QT syndrome resulting in ventricular flutter and nearby cardiac arrest. A 61-year-old man experienced massive QT prolongation and ventricular flutter at a rate of 270 beats per minute requiring defibrillation after ingestion of a large dose of Ibogaine. The ingested dose of 65-70 mg/kg represents the highest survived ibogaine dose reported to date. As a result of the long plasma half-life of ibogaine, it took 7 days for the patient's QT interval to normalize.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ibogaine, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Treatment of acute opioid withdrawal with ibogaine. Patients undergoing opioid detoxification with ibogaine in non-medical settings | 1999 | Case series | n = 33 |
| A preliminary investigation of ibogaine: case reports and recommendations for further study. Individuals addicted to opiates | 1994 | Case series | n = 7 |
| Long-QT Syndrome Induced by the Antiaddiction Drug Ibogaine A 31-year-old woman | 2009 | Case study | n = 1 |
| Distribution of ibogaine and noribogaine in a man following a poisoning involving root bark of the Tabernanthe iboga shrub. 48-year-old Caucasian male with a history of drug abuse who died after ingesting... | 2006 | Case study | n = 1 |
| A case report SPECT study and theoretical rationale for the sequential administration of ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. 31-year-old male military veteran with moderate alcohol use disorder | 2018 | Case study | n = 1 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 14
- A systematic literature review of clinical trials and therapeutic applications of ibogaine. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment July 1, 2022
- The adverse events of ibogaine in humans: an updated systematic review of the literature (2015-2020). Psychopharmacology June 1, 2022
- Ibogaine/Noribogaine in the Treatment of Substance Use Disorders: ASystematic Review of the Current Literature Current Neuropharmacology October 20, 2022
- Cardiovascular effects and safety of classic psychedelics. Nature cardiovascular research February 1, 2025
- Rare but relevant: Ibogaine and cardiovascular complications-prolonged QT interval and ventricular arrhythmias. Addiction January 20, 2026
and 9 more in the library
Cites 5
- The Anti-Addiction Drug Ibogaine and the Heart: A Delicate Relation Molecules January 29, 2015
- Ibogaine in the treatment of substance dependence. Current Drug Abuse Reviews March 1, 2013
- Fatalities temporally associated with the ingestion of ibogaine. Journal of Forensic Sciences March 1, 2012
- How toxic is ibogaine? Clinical Toxicology 2016
- Internet-purchased ibogaine toxicity confirmed with serum, urine, and product content levels. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine July 1, 2015