Fatal adverse event secondary to high osmolality contrast agent.

Adverse drug events secondary to iodinated contrast agents are of particular concern to all clinicians. Despite the availability of newer agents, the mortality rates remain unchanged. We describe a fatal adverse event secondary to use of the high osmolality agent iothalmate meglumine 30%. A 58-y-old healthy female with no previous history of drug or food allergy had cardiac arrest toward the end of the i.v. infusion of the contrast agent during a CT scan. The patient expired despite aggressive therapeutic measures.