Ventricular tachycardia with hemodynamic instability refractory to cardioversion: a case report.
Accurate diagnosis of wide QRS complex tachycardia is difficult in emergent situations. According to the Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) tachycardia algorithm of the American Heart Association, immediate synchronized cardioversion should be applied to patients with wide QRS tachycardia with any evidence of hemodynamic instability. However, this may not be appropriate in all patients, especially those with idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia. In our patient, repetitively synchronized cardioversion failed to convert the arrhythmia. It is important for emergency physicians to recognize the electrocardiographic features of idiopathic left ventricular tachycardia and to manage these patients appropriately.
Chou
Chun-Jen
CJ
Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Lee
Chee-Siong
CS
Lai
Wen-Ter
WT
D000328:Adult; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*