Torsade de pointes with short coupling interval.

Abstract

Torsade de pointes (TdP), a ventricular tachycardia (VT) with the peaks of QRS complexes twisting around the iso-electric baseline and progressive amplitude and polarity variations, is mostly associated with long (congenital or acquired) QT syndromes (LQTS) and long coupling intervals of the initiating complex. We describe a patient with variant, short-coupled TdP, a normal QTc interval and without demonstrable structural heart disease. Mechanisms remain unclear but there may be a relationship with autonomic nervous system imbalance. Since anti-arrhythmic drug efficacy is uncertain, ICD-implantation seems the first-line therapy. If ventricular arrhythmia recurs despite drug therapy, catheter-ablation of initiating premature ventricular beats may be warranted.

• Authors: Ben Van den Branden, Eric Wever, Lucas Boersma
• Journal: Acta cardiologica (Acta Cardiol) Vol. 65 Issue 3 Pg. 345-6 (Jun 2010) ISSN: 0001-5385 [Print] England
• PMID: 20666275 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Topics

• Defibrillators, Implantable
• Electrocardiography
• Humans
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Torsades de Pointes (diagnosis, physiopathology, therapy)
• Ventricular Premature Complexes (diagnosis, physiopathology, therapy)