[Ventricular tachyarrhythmias. A retrospective analysis of etiology, demography and treatment].
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the age, sex, etiology, frequency of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and previous cardiac arrest among patients discharged from the Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen University Hospital), Denmark, due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias.


METHODS
We conducted a retrospective review of 993 patients discharged from Rigshospitalet over 6 years and 5 months with the diagnostic codes ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation or premature ventricular contractions.


RESULTS
The population had an average age of 59 years (ranging 15-95 years) with a majority of males (76%). Among the patients with known etiology ischemic heart disease (60%), dilated cardiomyopathy (6%) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (6%) were the most frequent. A substantial number of the patients (15%) had unknown etiology; 492 (50%) of the patients overall had an ICD implanted, the majority of whom had been categorized as having ventricular tachycardia (92%); 168 patients had previous cardiac arrest, 127 of whom did not have a potential reversible cause. Of this group 75 (59%) had an ICD implanted.


CONCLUSIONS
Ischemic heart disease is the most common cause of ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Approximately half the patients admitted with ventricular tachyarrhythmias had an ICD implanted, the majority of whom did not have previous cardiac arrest.
Kardiologisk Afdeling B, Rigshospitalet, Hjertecentret, DK-2100 København Ø. alexhc@dadlnet.dk
Alex Hørby
AH
Christensen
Kristoffer
K
Henningsen
Jesper Hastrup
JH
Svendsen
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000150:complications; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy