title: Ventricular ectopy: etiology, evaluation, and therapy.
abstract: Ventricular ectopy occurs commonly. Its significance is related to the degree of complexity and the associated cardiac substrate. Coronary artery disease is the most frequent underlying cause, followed by cardiomyopathy and valvular disease. Symptomatic ventricular arrhythmias require treatment, whereas benign simple ventricular ectopy does not; however, the treatment of asymptomatic high-grade ventricular ectopy remains controversial. Therapy first must be directed toward the cardiac disease. Evaluation of the patient includes Holter monitoring, echocardiography, radionuclide studies, exercise testing, cardiac catheterization, and electrophysiologic testing. Programmed stimulation is useful in the diagnosis and prognosis of ventricular tachycardia, as well as in the evaluation of drug regimen efficacy. After treatment of ischemia and/or failure, specific antiarrhythmic agents, conventional and investigational, alone or in combination, are systematically selected. Should medical therapy alone be insufficient, consideration is given to surgical procedures such as subendocardial resection or ventriculotomy, often in combination with bypass grafting, aneurysmectomy, or valvular replacement. Electronic devices, including pacemakers or automatic internal defibrillators, may also be useful in certain selected cases. Suggested guidelines are proposed for a standardized approach, although therapy for each patient must still be individualized.
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000787:Angina Pectoris / Q000150:complications; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001073:Aprindine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications; D004206:Disopyramide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004452:Echocardiography; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications; D009566:Nitrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011342:Procainamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012306:Risk
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D009566:Nitrates; D001073:Aprindine; D010672:Phenytoin; D008012:Lidocaine; D004206:Disopyramide; D011342:Procainamide; D000638:Amiodarone