Initiation of ventricular tachycardia by interpolated ventricular premature depolarizations

Abstract

Programmed electrical stimulation of the heart was performed in a 47 year old man with prior myocardial infarction and recurrent sustained ventricular tachycardia that was refractory to standard medical therapy. The tachycardia could be provoked by regular atrial pacing at a rate of 100/min, regular ventricular pacing at the same rate and regular atrial pacing at a rate of 200/min in the presence of 2:1 atrioventricular block. All three techniques resulted in an interval of approximately 600 ms between successive ventricular depolarizations. Single interpolated ventricular premature depolarizations delivered during sinus rhythm were followed by a postextrasystolic conducted sinus beat that initiated ventricular tachycardia. However, when the same interpolated ventricular premature depolarization was followed by a ventricular fusion beat no tachycardia ensued. This study therefore emphasizes the importance of heart rate and the pattern of ventricular activation in determining whether ventricular tachycardia can be provoked by programmed electrical stimulation of the heart.