Vol 18, No 5 (2011)
Interesting electrocardiograms
Published online: 2011-09-21
Tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy caused by a special pacemaker algorithm
Cardiol J 2011;18(5):573-576.
Abstract
An elderly lady presented with breathlessness, fever and palpitations. She was treated for
community-acquired pneumonia with antibiotics. Subsequently, she went into acute pulmonary
edema. She was managed with standard heart failure medications and a trial of noninvasive
ventilation. ECG showed A-V sequential pacing at a rate of 150/min with broad
QRS. It was thought to be a pacemaker-related tachycardia. On pacemaker check, a special
algorithm (atrial fibrillation suppression algorithm) was switched off. She subsequently improved.
We here review the cause of this tachycardia-induced cardiomyoapthy.
(Cardiol J 2011; 18, 5: 573–576)
(Cardiol J 2011; 18, 5: 573–576)
Keywords: pacemakertachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy