Izawa A, Yazaki Y, Hayashi S, Imamura H, Kusama Y, Isobe M
First Department of Internal Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Jpn Heart J. 2000 Jan;41(1):97-102. doi: 10.1536/jhj.41.97.
A 75-year-old woman presented with recurrent ventricular tachycardia (VT) compatible with torsades de pointes (TdP) based on sinus bradycardia and QT prolongation. Previously she had received pirmenol, at a serum concentration within therapeutic range, for her paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. Emergent cardiac catheterization identified a ventricular aneurysm of the anteroapical and inferior wall along with angiographically normal coronary arteries. A right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy revealed postmyocarditic change. The left ventricular contraction improved after 5 weeks of conservative treatment. A follow-up echocardiogram revealed transient thickening of partial left ventricular wall consistent with the segment of the aneurysm. Several months later, almost all abnormal findings had improved except for sustained deep negative T waves in precordial leads. Acute myocarditis was primarily suspected as the cause of her clinical presentation.