ABSTRACT
Perinatal atrial flutter is a serious arrhythmia. Its management continues to pose a challenge during the fetal period but also, in rare intractable cases, during the postnatal period. This report describes the case of a neonate who required multiple electrical external cardioversions and amiodarone to resolve a recurrent atrial flutter. This case report suggests that neonatal atrial flutter may be recurrent at short term, that repeated electrical cardioversions with low energy are safe for a neonate, that amiodarone is effective as a premedication before cardioversion and in maintaining sinus rhythm afterward, and finally that the long-term prognosis is good, even when the arrhythmia is initially refractory to therapy.
Subject(s)
Amiodarone/therapeutic use , Anti-Arrhythmia Agents/therapeutic use , Atrial Flutter/therapy , Electric Countershock , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Male , RecurrenceABSTRACT
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is of genetic origin, characterized by asymmetric left ventricular hypertrophy and variable clinical presentation. The physiopathology includes diastolic dysfunction and, in one third of the patients, dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction. Patients are at increased risk of sudden death. Risk stratification in the individual patient is an essential component of management. This article describes the clinical presentation of a patient and his mother and summarizes essential features of the disease and the current recommendations for the prevention of sudden cardiac death.