ABSTRACT
A 56-year-old man presented with right coronary arterial spasm accompanied by ST segment elevation in the inferior leads. A reperfusion arrhythmia, accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR), developed 1 hour after a nitroglycerin infusion. The AIVR was sustained for 5 days without hemodynamic instability, and resolved spontaneously during hemodynamic monitoring in the coronary intensive care unit.
Subject(s)
Humans , Middle Aged , Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm , Angina Pectoris , Arrhythmias, Cardiac , Hemodynamics , Intensive Care Units , Myocardial Infarction , Nitroglycerin , Reperfusion , SpasmABSTRACT
Accelerated idioventricular rhythm is defined as a ventricular rhythm of 60-100 beats per minute or a ventricular tachycardia that does nor exceed 120 beats per minutes. Although, it rarely converts to a fatal arrhythmia like ventricular fibrillation, it needs to be differentiated from AIVR, which is from another origin. AIVR may occur due to ischemic heart disease (ST elevated myocardial infarction), cardiomyopathy, rheumatic fever and digitalis intoxication. We report here on a case of AIVR that was related to desflurane administration.
Subject(s)
Accelerated Idioventricular Rhythm , Anesthesia , Arrhythmias, Cardiac , Cardiomyopathies , Digitalis , Isoflurane , Methyl Ethers , Myocardial Ischemia , Rheumatic Fever , Tachycardia, Ventricular , Ventricular FibrillationABSTRACT
Accelerated idioventricular rhythm(AIVR) describes ventricular rates slower than usual tachycardia rates but faster than the ventricular escape rhythm. Ventricular rates of 40- 120 beats/min are usual. Accelerated idioventricular rhythm probably represents enhanced automaticity in the ventricles and manifests itself when sinus rates slow. This arrhythmia has been reported in association with acute myocardial infarction, digitalis excess, cardiomyopathy, and rheumatic heart disease. Only rare case of AIVR without underlying heart disease has been described. It is transient and intermittent, with episodes lasting a few seconds to a minute, and does not appear to seriously affect the patient's clinical course or the prognosis. Suppressive therapy is rarely necessary. Recently, we have experienced four cases of AIVR in children without underlying heart disease with benign clinical course.