Open AccessManagement of the prolonged QT syndrome and recurrent ventricular fibrillation with an implantable automatic cardioverter‐defibrillator
Author(s) -
Platia E. V.,
Griffith L. S. C.,
Watkins L.,
Mirowski M.,
Mower M. M.,
Reid P. R.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960080907
Subject(s) - medicine , ventricular fibrillation , ventricular tachycardia , cardiology , implantable cardioverter defibrillator , long qt syndrome , fibrillation , tachycardia , qt interval , refractory (planetary science) , anesthesia , atrial fibrillation , physics , astrobiology
Two patients with the prolonged QT syndrome and recurrent ventricular tachyarrhythmias are presented, one of them refractory to combination antiarrhythmic drug therapy and bilateral stellate ganglion blockade. We implanted and tested in vivo an automatic cardioverter‐defibrillator to provide a cardiac monitoring system with the capability of delivering a 25 J electrical discharge to the heart if rapid ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation is detected. Arrhythmia induction in the electrophysiology laboratory confirmed the appropriate recognition of the arrhythmias in each patient, with prompt discharge of the device and resultant termination of the tachycardias. We suggest that implantation of such a device may provide an effective adjunct to antiarrhythmic drug therapy in the management of infrequent, but potentially lethal, ventricular arrhythmias occurring in patients with the prolonged QT syndrome.