title: Arrhythmias in dilated cardiomyopathy.
abstract: Patients with dilated cardiomyopathies (DCM) face a significant burden of arrhythmias, including conduction defects such as atrioventricular block and interventricular delay in the form of left bundle branch block, resulting in altered electromechanical coupling that can exacerbate heart failure. Atrial fibrillation is common and carries an adverse prognosis. Ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death generally occur late in the disease course. Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia accounts for most of the sustained ventricular arrhythmias in DCM. This article summarizes common forms of arrhythmias encountered in patients with DCM, and reviews the relevant electrophysiologic basis of these arrhythmias and their management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: Saurabh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Stevenson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis Street, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: Rjohn2@partners.org.
authors.forename: Roy M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: John
mesh_terms: D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac; D002311:Cardiomyopathy, Dilated; D017115:Catheter Ablation; D006801:Humans
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Atrial flutter; Atrioventricular block; Catheter ablation; Dilated cardiomyopathy; Lamin A/C cardiomyopathy; Ventricular tachycardia