Transient ventricular arrhythmia as a rare cause of dizziness during exercise: A case report

BACKGROUND: Dizziness is a common symptom in adults and usually due to peripheral causes affecting semicircular canal function or central causes affecting the pons, medulla, or cerebellum. Arrhythmia is a recognized cause of dizziness in people with structural or ischemic heart disease. We report a case of exercise-induced transient ventricular tachycardia and dizziness in a man with no evidence of organic heart disease. CASE SUMMARY: A 42-year-old man presented with a 6 mo history of transient exercise-induced dizziness and prodromal palpitations. The patient was otherwise asymptomatic. Physical examination, otoscopy, vestibular tests, cerebellar tests, laboratory investigations, and imaging investigations were all unremarkable. Twenty-four hour Holter monitoring revealed four episodes of transient ventricular tachycardia during exercise. The patient was started on metoprolol and subsequently underwent radiofrequency catheter ablation. The patient reported a full recovery and no dizziness during daily activities. These results were maintained at the 6 mo follow-up. CONCLUSION: Ventricular tachycardia is an uncommon but potentially serious cause of dizziness. The outcome of this case illustrates the benefits of careful clinical examination and communication with specialized centers. High clinical suspicion of arrhythmia in a patient with dizziness merits consultation with a cardiologist and referral to a specialized center to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment.