Trastorno del ritmo poscierre del foramen oval con dispositivo Amplatzer PFO® / Rhythm disorder post-closure of the foramen ovale with Amplatzer PFO® device

Presentamos el caso clínico de una paciente de 53 años que consultó con síntomas neurológicos compatibles con un ataque isquémico transitorio. Se encontró un desorden protrombótico y un foramen oval permeable, sin otra explicación para la enfermedad. Se decidió cerrarlo por vía percutánea mediante un dispositivo Amplatzer PFO® y no hubo complicaciones durante el procedimiento. A los 15 días del alta comenzó con palpitaciones rápidas y se demostró una taquicardia auricular paroxística recurrente. Se inició tratamiento farmacológico con propafenona que logró controlar la arritmia y el síntoma. A los tres meses se suspendió la medicación. Transcurridos seis meses la paciente está asintomática, con electrocardiograma normal y un Holter sin la arritmia. Revisamos la literatura disponible sobre los trastornos del ritmo luego del cierre percutáneo del foramen oval y comunicación interauricular.

We report the case of a 53 years old woman who presents with neurologycal symptoms suggestive of a transient ischemic attack. A prothrombotic disorder and patent formen oval were found, with no other explantion for the disease. It was decided to closed the foramen with a percutaneously implanted Amplatzer PFO® device and there were no incidents during the procedure. Fiftheen days after hospital discharge she began to refere rapid palpitations and a paroxistic recurrent atrial tachycardia was documented. Pharmacological therapy with propafenone was initiated and it was able to control the arrhythmia and the symptoms. Three months later the drug was discontinued. After 6 months follow up the patient is asymptomatic, with a normal EKG and a Holter without arrhythmias. We review the available literature about rhythm disorders after the percutaneus closure of the foramen oval and interatrial comunication.

Arritmias en el embarazo / Arrhythmias during pregnancy

Las arritmias durante el embarazo son eventos de aparición frecuente. Desde las extrasístoles aisladas hasta las taquiarritmias, capaces de poner en riesgo las vidas materna y fetal, constituyen el amplio espectro de presentación. Muchas de ellas exigen intervenciones de urgencia, tratamientos crónicos o ambos. La comunicación de este caso nos motivó a realizar una revisión de las indicaciones y posibilidades farmacológicas de las taquicardias paroxísticas supraventriculares en este período particular de la mujer. El fármaco de elección para el manejo agudo de las taquicardias paroxísticas supraventriculares es la adenosina. Este agente debería encontrarse siempre en el área de quirófano al alcance de los anestesiólogos, para un manejo terapéutico de urgencia. La conducta obstétrica estará marcada por el estado hemodinámico de la madre y del feto.

Arrhythmias during pregnancy are frequent events. There is a wide spectrum of presentations: from isolated extrasystoles to tachyarrhythmias with risk to mother and fetal life. Many of these arrhythmias need urgent interventions and/or chronic treatment. The communication of this clinical case motivated us to realize a review of the indications and pharmacological possibilities in paroxysmal tachyarrhythmias in this particular period in women. Adrenosine is the pharmacological treatment of choice to manage paroxysmal supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. This drug should always be at hand in the operating theater, to be used by the anesthesiologists for the therapeutic managing of the emergencies. Obstetric clinical conduct will depend on the haemodynamic condition of the mother and the fetus.

As arritmias durante a gravidez são eventos de ocorrência freqüente. Desde as extrassístoles isoladas até as taquiarritmias, que podem pôr em risco as vidas materna e fetal, constituem o amplo espectro de apresentação. Muitas delas exigem intervenções de urgência, tratamentos crônicos ou ambos. Este caso nos estimulou a fazer uma revisão das indicações e possibilidades farmacológicas das taquicardias paroxísticas supraventriculares nesse período da mulher. O fármaco de escolha para o manejo agudo das taquicardias paroxísticas supraventriculares é a adenosina. Este agente deveria estar sempre disponível na sala de operações, ao alcance da mão dos anestesiologistas, para um manejo terapêutico de urgência. A conduta obstétrica estará marcada pelo estado hemodinâmico da mãe e do feto.

Forma isolada do miocárdio não-compactado / Isolated noncompaction of the myocardium

Miocárdio não-compactado (MNC) é uma cardiopatia congênita com incidência rara, sendo o seu primeiro relato feito há 15 anos e com poucos casos publicados. O objetivo deste artigo é descrever um caso de MNC. É apresentada descrição dos achados clínicos e dos exames complementares de imagem de uma paciente com 37 anos, portadora de MNC de forma isolada. A paciente queixava-se de palpitações, apresentava extra-sístoles no exame clínico e, no eletrocardiograma de 12 derivações, bigeminismo ventricular. Realizou ecocardiograma Doppler tridimensional que revelou a presença de numerosas e proeminentes trabéculas com recessos intertrabeculares profundos com fluxo de sangue que se comunicavam com a cavidade ventricular e que se acentuavam na região septo-apical. A ressonância nuclear magnética de coração corroborou os achados do ecocardiograma. A clínica e os resultados dos exames complementares dessa paciente confirmaram o diagnóstico de MNC de forma isolada. O conhecimento de achados ecocardiográficos dessa doença permite um diagnóstico precoce e tratamento mais adequado.

Noncompacted myocardium (NCM) is a rare congenital heart disease, first reported 15 years ago and with only a few published cases. In this paper, we report the main clinical findings and the complementary exams that suports NCM diagnostic. Discretion of anamnesis and physical examination, together with characteristic image complementary exams findings of symptomatic NCM. (Case report). The clinical assessment and the electrocardiogram at the admission found bigeminism ventricular. A tridimensional Doppler echocardiogram was performed and showed numerous and prominent myocardium trabeculations and deep intertrabecular recess filled with blood that communicate with the ventricular cavity, more present in the septal-apical area. Magnetic resonance imaging supported the echocardiographic findings and ruled out the presence of others cardiac malformations. The clinical and imaging complementary exams filled out the touchstones that support isolated NCM diagnose. Is important to know that suggestive NCM findings permits an earlier diagnostic and treatment.

Uso de adenosina en taquicardia paroxística supraventricular en emergencia / Use of adenosine in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in emergency

Se conoce la eficacia de la adenosina en el tratamiento de la taquicardia paroxística supraventricular sin compromiso hemodinámico. Objetivo: se propone analizar la respuesta al uso de esta droga en todos los niños que consultaron por esta causa en una emergencia pediátrica, independientemente de su estado hemodinámico. Material y método: se revisaron retrospectivamente 19 historias clínicas de niños entre 21 días y 14 años, que presentaron un total de 25 episodios de taquicardia paroxística supraventricular, en un período de 5 años y 7 meses. Se consideraron dos grupos de pacientes: uno sin repercusión hemodinámica (40 por ciento) y otro con repercusión hemodinámica (60 por ciento).Se consideró como respuesta positiva a la adenosina la reversión electrocardiográfica de la arritmia a ritmo sinusal, luego de un máximo de 3 dosis en el mismo episodio. Resultados: en el grupo sin repercusión hemodinámica de los 10 episodios tratados (siete niños), revirtió el 70 por ciento, luego de una a tres dosis de adenosina. En el grupo con repercusión hemodinámica, de los 15 episodios tratados (13 pacientes), revirtió el 93 por ciento luego de una a dos dosis de adenosina. Respuesta global positiva: 84 por ciento. No hubo muertes y no se observaron complicaciones ni efectos secundarios. Conclusiones: el tratamiento con adenosina en las taquicardias paroxísticas supraventriculares en la emergencia es efectivo en los dos grupos considerados y surge como una alternativa terapéutica aun en pacientes con compromiso hemodinámico

Electrophysiologic effects and therapeutic efficacy of intravenous flecainide for termination of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.

Flecainide is a class IC antiarrhythmic agent with a controversial role in the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias following myocardial infarction after the publication of the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). To assess its utility in paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT), we evaluated the electrophysiologic effects and therapeutic efficacy of intravenous flecainide, administered in a dose of 2 mg per kg body weight in 26 patients of PSVT, studied by programmed electrical stimulation. The patients' age ranged from 18-49 years (mean: 27 +/- 8) and none had organic heart disease. The mechanism of PSVT was atrioventricular nodal reentry (AVNRT) with anterograde conduction through slow pathway and retrograde through fast pathway in 14, and atrioventricular reentry (AVRT) utilizing an accessory pathway in 12 patients. Flecainide was successful in terminating the tachycardia in all (100%) patients of AVNRT and 11 (92%) patients with AVRT. In both the types, the tachycardia was terminated by selective block in conduction through the retrograde limb of the reentry circuit. The drug also produced a complete anterograde block with abolition of preexcitation in 6 out of 8 patients with WPW syndrome. After the drug, the tachycardia was reinducible in one patient of AVNRT and 4 with AVRT. The cycle length of inducible tachycardia increased from 295 +/- 25 ms to 389 +/- 24.5 ms after flecainide (p < 0.001). There were no adverse haemodynamic effects of the drug. Our results, thus, showed that intravenous flecainide is a highly effective and safe antiarrhythmic drug for termination of PSVT mediated by atrioventricular nodal and atrioventricular reentry mechanisms without producing any adverse effects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Low dose amiodarone in refractory tachyarrhythmias.

Fifty patients with drug resistant tachyarrhythmias were treated with amiodarone for 6-22 months; 16 for recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT), 2 for VT followed by ventricular fibrillation (VF), 14 for complex ventricular ectopics, and 18 for supraventricular tachyarrhythmias (SVT). Amiodarone was administered in a dose much lower than that used in western trials. The actual incidence of successful amiodarone therapy was 81.2% at 22 months for patients with VT. Among the patients with SVT, 88.6% patients were successfully treated for 22 months (range 3-22 months). Amiodarone toxicity appeared in 22 of 50 patients (44%) treated for more than 12 weeks. Withdrawal of therapy was required in 4 patients. Despite the lower dose, clinical efficacy and onset of action were comparable to the western experience.

Nouveau protocole d'amiodarone dans le traitement des arythmies rebelles

The new protocol of amiodarone was proposed to treat and to prevent some paroxysm and refractory arrhythmias with classic treatments. It is to administrate an oral charge dose of 30mg/kg/day of amiodarone taken in one time during three days, then reduce progressively that posology. This protocol was applied on 60 patients with a success of 75% and a recur of 3.5%. few secondary effects were observed all reversible with the end of protocol. But no cardiac decompensation, no pro-arrhythmogene effect were signaled and especially no cardiac failure

Electrophysiologic effects of oral propafenone in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome studied by programmed electrical stimulation.

We studied the electrophysiologic effects of oral propafenone on induction of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in 10 patients with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (5 manifest and 5 concealed accessory pathways). Nine patients had orthodromic SVT and one patient had atrial fibrillation with preexcited QRS (shortest RR 220 msec). Electrophysiologic studies were performed during control and 48 hours after oral propafenone administered in a dose of 300 mg every eight hours. Propafenone caused complete anterograde accessory pathway conduction block in 4 of 5 patients with manifest delta waves. Retrograde conduction through the accessory pathway was abolished in 6 of 9 patients in whom it was present during control. Sustained SVT was inducible in all 9 patients during control. Propafenone prevented induction of SVT in 8 of 9 patients (88.9%) and slowed the rate of induced SVT in one patient. In the patient with atrial fibrillation (AF) the accessory pathway was blocked and AF was not inducible. There was a significant increase in the effective refractory period (ERP) of the atrium (208 +/- 40 msec to 257 +/- 25 msec, p less than 0.01), atrioventricular (AV) node (less than or equal to 256 +/- 34 msec to greater than or equal to 324 +/- 35 msec, p less than 0.001) and ventricle (204 +/- 14 msec to 262 +/- 51 msec, p less than 0.01). The atrial paced cycle length at AV nodal block also increased from 288 +/- 51 msec to 389 +/- 51 msec (p less than 0.01) after the drug. Thus propafenone has potent inhibitory effects on accessory pathways and has additional significant effects on atrial, AV nodal and ventricular refractoriness.

Taquicardia ventricular sensible a verapamil: una entidad clínica y electrofisiológica / Recurrent paroxysmal ventricular tachycardia controlled by verapamil

Se presentan 4 pacientes, hombres, con edades que fluctúan entre los 16 y 51 años portadores de Taquicardia Ventricular Paroxística, recurrente sensible a Verapamil. En ninguno de ellos se demostró Cardiopatía Asociada. La morfología del QRS, durante la arritmia, se caracterizó por un aspecto de retardo derecho y desviación a izquierda del eje eléctrico. Este grupo de pacientes configuran una entidad clínica y electrocardiográfica que requiere de un manejo anti arrítmico diferente

Pneumonite por amiodarona / Pneumonitis induced by amiodarone

Foram estudados quinze portadores de pneumopatia por amiodarona com idades entre 52 e 79 (média 64,0) anos, sendo onze homens e quatro mulheres. Em 66% dos pacientes a dose diária de amiodarona foi 200 mg. O tempo decorrido entre o início da droga e o aparecimento da pneumonite foi de 2 a 84 (média = 23,3) meses. Extra-sistóles ventricularres e taquicardia paroxistica supraventricular foram as indicaçöes para o uso da droga. As principais queixas foram dispnéia progressiva e tosse. Emagrecimento foi observado em cinco, febre em seis e dor de características pleurais em dois pacientes. Ao exame físico do tórax houve predomínio de estertores sub-crepitantes difusos. Na radiografia de tórax observou-se infiltrado intersticial bilateral em todos, com derrame pleural em dois, e a cintilografia com citrato de gálio 67, realizada em nove pacientes evidenciou hipercaptaçäo difusa. A funçäo pulmonar mostrou insuficiência respiratória ventilatória restritiva, com hipoxemia. Dez pacientes foram submetidos a biópsia pulmonar, um a lavado bronco-alveolar, e outro a toracocentese. Nos três restantes, o diagnóstico se baseou em critérios clínicos e radiológicos. O material foi examinado a microscopia óptica e eletrônica. A partir da suspeita de toxicidade pulmonar, a droga foi suspensa em todos, introduziu-se corticoterapia em 13. Cinco (33,3%) pacientes faleceram, oito curaram-se e dois permaneceram sem seqüelas

Taquicardia supraventricular paroxistica en niños: comunicación de un caso manejado exitosamente con digoxina

Se comunica un caso de un neonato con Taquicardía Supraventricular aguda, manejado exitosamente con digoxina intravenosa. Se discuten y revisan los mecanismos predisponentes o desencadenantes de esta arritmia y las diferentes modalidades terapéuticas a la luz de las últimas publicaciones de la literatura al respecto. Se concluye que el uso de la digoxina parenteral continúa siendo el fármaco de eleción en el tratamiento de la taquicardia paroxística ventricular aguda en niños. Se procura alertar al médico y al pediatra general, tener más en cuenta esta posibilidad diagnóstica ante la presencia de frecuencia cardiaca acelerada e incontable, sin fiebre en un lactante