Successful external cardioversion for ventricular tachycardia using 2 Joules.
We present a patient with recurrent sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia following myocardial infarction, refractory to drug therapy. He has been reluctant to have an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, but responds to very low energy transthoracic direct current cardioversion administered via external pacing electrodes under sedation. The use of very low energies may avoid shock-induced myocardial damage in patients with recurrent ventricular tachycardia.
Papaconstantinou
H D
HD
Department of Cardiology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
Burrell
C J
CJ
D002037:Bundle-Branch Block / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000379:methods*; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D019233:Retreatment; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy