Sustained
ventricular tachycardia (VT) is an important cause of morbidity and
sudden death in patients with
dilated cardiomyopathy. Although ICD effectively terminate VT episodes and improve survival, shocks reduce quality of life, and episodes of VT predict increased risk of
heart failure and death despite effective
therapy. Patients suffering recurrent VT episodes remain a challenge. Antiarrhytmic
therapy reduces VT episodes, but it is associated with serious adverse events, and disappointing efficacy.
Catheter ablation has emerged as an important option to control recurrent VT, but major procedure-related complications, and even death, are still issues to concern. And even with these armamentaria, some patients still have recurrent VT episodes and ICD shocks. We report on a patient with non-ischemic
dilated cardiomyopathy and recurrent
ventricular tachycardia resistant to multiple antiarrhytmic agents, in whom
dronedarone was effective in completely suppressing
ventricular tachycardia episodes.