Torsades de pointes initiated by electrical ventricular stimulation in symptomatic patients without a prolonged QT interval

Abstract

Two, middle-aged women with no apparent organic heart disease underwent programmed electrical stimulation (PES) because of palpitation and syncope, or rapid, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, respectively. The QTc intervals and serum potassium and magnesium were within normal limits. PES from the right ventricle induced nonsustained, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia with the morphology and rate characteristic of torsades de pointes (TdP). Both patients have been asymptomatic with PES-guided, antiarrhythmic drug therapy for 5 or 6 months. However, it remains uncertain whether PES-induced TdP affects the prognosis of these patients, thereby antiarrhythmic drug therapy is urgent. © 1991, Japanese Society of National Medical Services. All rights reserved.