Ventricular fibrillation in two cases with dilated cardiomyopathy and mechanical alternans.
Clinical implication of mechanical alternans is yet unclear. It may suggest the risk for sudden death in patients with chronic heart failure. Two cases with dilated cardiomyopathy showed mechanical alternans during diagnostic cardiac catheterization. They suddenly died due to ventricular fibrillation before the induction of beta-blocker therapy. Patients with mechanical alternans should be treated under intense monitoring until the induction of beta-blocker therapy.
Kodama
Makoto
M
Division of Cardiology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata City, Japan. kodamama@med.niigata-u.ac.jp
Ramadan
Mahmoud M
MM
Mitsuma
Wataru
W
Okamura
Kazuki
K
Kashimura
Takeshi
T
Tachikawa
Hitoshi
H
Ito
Masahiro
M
Fuse
Koichi
K
Hirono
Satoru
S
Okura
Yuji
Y
Kato
Kiminori
K
Hanawa
Haruo
H
Watanabe
Kenichi
K
Aizawa
Yoshifusa
Y
D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology*