Key result
Arm movements such as tooth-brushing can produce electrocardiographic artifacts that closely simulate life-threatening ventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter.
Why the study?
Artifacts on electrocardiograms can simulate ventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter, complicating accurate diagnosis.
Case Report (n=1)
Careful review of arrhythmia initiation, termination, and relation to body motion can help differentiate ECG artifacts from true arrhythmias.
Raises caution for motion artifacts mimicking arrhythmias during daily activities; leaves open systematic validation of differentiation criteria in larger cohorts.
We describe a patient whose electrocardiograms showed ventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter which could be reproduced by arm movements. Careful review of the initiation and termination of the arrhythmia, the relation of the arrhythmia to body motion, and the associated symptoms and signs may be helpful to differentiate artifact from true arrhythmia.
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Lin et al. (1991) conducted a case report in Artifact simulating ventricular and atrial arrhythmia (n=1). Arm movements was evaluated on Electrocardiographic artifact simulating arrhythmia. Arm movements such as tooth-brushing can produce electrocardiographic artifacts that closely simulate life-threatening ventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter.
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