title: Cardiac sarcoidosis with a rare initial manifestation: sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia.
abstract: Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease of unknown cause. Life-threatening complications or sudden death can occur when the disease involves the heart. Because cardiac sarcoidosis has diverse clinical presentations, its diagnosis can be a major challenge for clinicians. It is very rare for the initial manifestation of cardiac sarcoidosis to be sustained ventricular tachycardia, especially in a patient with no prior symptoms or history of the disease. Herein, we discuss the case of a 41-year-old black man who presented with nausea, vomiting, and palpitations on the day after he had consumed alcoholic beverages heavily. Electrocardiographic examination revealed sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia. An automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator corrected the patient's abnormal heart rhythm, and therapy with steroids and β-blockers resolved his symptoms. We describe the process that led to the diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis in this patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey 07503, USA. Gautamyreddy@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Gautamy Chitiki
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Dhadham
authors.forename: Nishant
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Rupen
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bikkina
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D013256:Steroids