Acute cardiac and neurologic decompensation in a high school athlete.
A 19-year-old African American man presented to a local emergency room with atrial flutter, dysarthria, and left-sided hemiparesis. He was previously healthy and a successful high school athlete. The patient decompensated and went into cardiac arrest. Two-dimensional echocardiography revealed biventricular dilation, severe systolic dysfunction, and a spongy myocardial appearance. Postmortem examination was diagnostic of biventricular noncompaction. Such a fulminant presentation of isolated ventricular noncompaction in a previously healthy and physically fit individual has not yet been described.
Vatthyam
Roshan K
RK
St Vincent Hospitals and Health Services, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. rosh_04@hotmail.com
Bates
John R
JR
Waller
Bruce F
BF
D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D056830:Isolated Noncompaction of the Ventricular Myocardium / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D013177:Sports; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult