Europace Advance Access originally published online on May 10, 2006
Europace 2006 8(6):430-433; doi:10.1093/europace/eul044
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ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY IN MYOPATHIES
Documented exercise-induced cardiac arrest in a paediatric patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Arrhythmias Unit, Cardiology Service, Virgen del Rocío University Hospital, Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013, Sevilla, Spain
A paediatric patient with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) presented cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular arrhythmias were not induced in an electrophysiological study, but an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) was implanted. Nine months later, the child experienced a recurrence of cardiac arrest during exercise, which was successfully treated with a defibrillator shock from the device. Analysis of the stored electrograms demonstrated ventricular fibrillation of abrupt onset following sinus tachycardia. The risk factors and the potential mechanism leading to recurrent cardiac arrest in this case are discussed. This report supports implantation of an ICD as a life-saving therapeutic approach not only for adults but also for children with HCM at high risk.
Key Words: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Paediatric patient, Sudden death, Cardioverter defibrillator, Ventricular fibrillation
* Corresponding author. Tel: +34 659108232; fax: +34 955012330. E-mail address: pedroteal{at}vodafone.es