Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2869246 | Annales de Cardiologie et d'Angéiologie | 2010 | 5 Pages |
Abstract
Electrical storm in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICDs) is a rhythmic emergency which can be immediately lethal. It occurs especially in patients with an advanced cadiomyopathy. Such arrhythmias predictor factors and triggers are rarely found. We report the case of a 73-year-old man with ischemic dilated cadiomyopathy, who underwent a complete surgical revascularisation six years ago. In 2003, this patient was hospitalised in cardiology because of a sustained ventricular tachycardia reduced by electrical shock. Because of the aggravation of the heart failure with a NYHA functional class III, electrical and echocardiographic criteria of ventricular dyssynchrony, a biventricular ICD was implanted. Three years after, the patient was hospitalized because of an electrical storm with 96Â appropriate shocks. A severe hypokaliemia was the cause of this electrical storm, and the evolution was favourable after correction of the hypokaliemia. Hypokaliemia is rarely the trigger of such arrhythmias, it represent only 3Â % of the causes. Its prevalence may be underestimated especially in patients with heart failure who receive high doses of diuretics.
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Authors
S. Kachboura, A. Ben Halima, M. Ben Miled,