Suppression of incessant ventricular tachycardia in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associated with improvement of severe left ventricular dysfunction.
A 32-year-old black man presented with a history of palpitations since childhood and two syncopal episodes. He was found to have incessant ventricular tachycardia, impaired left ventricular contraction (ejection fraction 9%), and nonobstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Procainamide abolished the arrhythmia and the ejection fraction rose to 22% in sinus rhythm. Later treatment was switched to amiodarone, which suppressed the ventricular tachycardia but necessitated pacemaker implantation. He has remained well during the subsequent 2 years. Left ventricular ejection fraction has increased to 47% measured in paced rhythm. The improvement in left ventricular function has been attributed to suppression of the incessant ventricular tachycardia.
D000328:Adult; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D011342:Procainamide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left / Q000502:physiology*
D011342:Procainamide; D000638:Amiodarone