Masquerade: a malignant arrhythmia masquerading as benign.
Pseudoatrial flutter has been reported to have benign causes, but this is the first report of a malignant arrhythmia presenting as a benign arrhythmia. An 82 year old patient presented with ventricular tachycardia and electrical artefact appearing as atrial flutter. In this case, comparing the morphology of the QRS complexes in the rhythm strip with those in lead II showed the arrhythmia to be ventricular in origin and points to the importance of comparing all leads of the ECG before arriving at a diagnosis.
Nandakumar
R
R
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK. nandakumar.ramasami@arh.grampian.scot.nhs.uk
Patel
J C
JC
Broadhurst
P
P
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver