Ventricular fibrillation following elective cardioversion in a patient with permanent pacemaker.
Elective cardioversion was undertaken in a patient with a VVI pacemaker and atrial tachyarrhythmia after converting the pacemaker to a VOO mode of function. The cardioverter output energy was unwittingly synchronized to the pacemaker output pulses that were falling randomly in various portions of the cardiac cycle. This resulted in the cardioverter DC shock being discharged in the ST segment of the native QRS with consequent ventricular fibrillation.
Department of Medicine, University of California, Davis Medical Center, Sacramento.
Z
Z
Vera
W J
WJ
Bommer
J M
JM
Desai
D000368:Aged; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000628:therapy*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology*