title: Serious arrhythmias in patients with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
abstract: We report cases of serious arrhythmias associated with apical hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (AHCM). Thirty-one patients were referred to our institute to undergo further assessment of their AHCM from 1988 to 1999. Three patients with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia demonstrated an 123I-MIBG regional reduction in the tracer uptake. In two patients with ventricular fibrillation (VF), the findings from 123I-MIBG imaging revealed regional sympathetic denervation in the inferior and lateral regions. Electrophysiologic study demonstrated reproducible induction of VF in aborted sudden death and presyncopal patients, resulting in the need for an implantable defibrillator device and amiodarone in each patient. Patients with refractory atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response suffered from serious congestive heart failure. A prudent assessment and strategy in patients with this disease would be indispensable in avoiding a disastrous outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Yokohama Red Cross Hospital, Kanagawa.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Okishige
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Azegami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002312:Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic / Q000150:complications*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019797:3-Iodobenzylguanidine; D000638:Amiodarone