Key result
Electrical DC cardioversion for pre-excited atrial fibrillation led to transient iatrogenic ventricular fibrillation in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
Case Report (n=1)
Electrical DC cardioversion for pre-excited atrial fibrillation in WPW syndrome carries a risk of inducing transient ventricular fibrillation.
Suggests caution with DC cardioversion in pre-excited AF; single case leaves open true incidence and optimal strategy.
The Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome can rarely present with pre-excited atrial fibrillation. In this condition the short refractory period of the accessory pathway can lead to rapid atrioventricular conduction. There is then a danger that at high heart rates the irregular broad complex tachycardia that results can deteriorate into ventricular fibrillation. The initial management of patients presenting in pre-excited atrial fibrillation requires cardioversion to sinus rhythm. This can be performed by DC cardioversion or pharmacological means. This paper describes the case of a patient presenting in pre-excited atrial fibrillation where electrical DC cardioversion lead to transient iatrogenic ventricular fibrillation.
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Adlam et al. (2003) conducted a case report in Pre-excited atrial fibrillation in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (n=1). Electrical DC cardioversion was evaluated on Transient iatrogenic ventricular fibrillation. Electrical DC cardioversion for pre-excited atrial fibrillation led to transient iatrogenic ventricular fibrillation in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.
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