The Clinical Use of External Noninvasive Pacing in the Termination of Sustained Ventricular Tachycardia

Abstract

In order to evaluate the potential use of external cardiac pacing (EXP) in the clinical termination of sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT), we attempted VT terminations in seven patients. All had recurrent sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (mean rate 145 beats/min), which had previously required cardioversion. During subsequent VT episodes, all seven underwent overdrive pacing with EXP at a pulse amplitude of 120 mA, and rates of 200 pulses/min. A total of 18 of 18 episodes of VT were successfully terminated by EXP alone. In one patient, the first attempt at EXP termination of one episode of VT resulted in an acceleration of the tachycardia, which was then terminated by EXP. All patients tolerated EXP well with minimal sedation. We conclude that EXP may be an effective clinical modality for the termination of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia.