Abstract
Of 95 consecutive patients with active variant angina who underwent ergonovine testing in the coronary care unit while off treatment, 24 (25%) developed serious ventricular arrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia in eight, bigeminy in seven, pairs in five, and frequent ventricular extrasystoles in four. Ergonovine-induced arrhythmias were observed more often in patients with anterior than inferior ST segment elevation (p < 0.05). ST segment elevation was significantly higher (10.3 ± 8.1 vs 3.1 ± 2.1 mm) in patients who developed arrhythmias. All ventricular arrhythmias began within 3 minutes after the onset of ST segment elevation. The intravenous administration of nitroglycerin eliminated arrhythmias in 22 of 24 cases; in only two patients did ventricular arrhythmias develop after the administration of nitroglycerin. Serious ventricular arrhythmias were found during spontaneous variant angina attacks in 14 of 24 patients with ergonovine-induced arrhythmias compared to 16 of 71 patients without ergonovine-induced arrhythmias (p < 0.001). We conclude that arrhythmias during ergonovine testing are most often caused by ischemia and not reperfusion. Patients with arrhythmias during ergonovine-induced attacks are more likely to have arrhythmias during spontaneous attacks.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 20-24 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | American Heart Journal |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1984 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Cite this
Ventricular arrhythmias during ergonovine-induced episodes of variant angina. / Szlachcic, Jadwiga; Waters, David D.; Miller, Douglas; Théroux, Pierre.
In: American Heart Journal, Vol. 107, No. 1, 01.1984, p. 20-24.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ventricular arrhythmias during ergonovine-induced episodes of variant angina
AU - Szlachcic, Jadwiga
AU - Waters, David D.
AU - Miller, Douglas
AU - Théroux, Pierre
PY - 1984/1
Y1 - 1984/1
N2 - Of 95 consecutive patients with active variant angina who underwent ergonovine testing in the coronary care unit while off treatment, 24 (25%) developed serious ventricular arrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia in eight, bigeminy in seven, pairs in five, and frequent ventricular extrasystoles in four. Ergonovine-induced arrhythmias were observed more often in patients with anterior than inferior ST segment elevation (p < 0.05). ST segment elevation was significantly higher (10.3 ± 8.1 vs 3.1 ± 2.1 mm) in patients who developed arrhythmias. All ventricular arrhythmias began within 3 minutes after the onset of ST segment elevation. The intravenous administration of nitroglycerin eliminated arrhythmias in 22 of 24 cases; in only two patients did ventricular arrhythmias develop after the administration of nitroglycerin. Serious ventricular arrhythmias were found during spontaneous variant angina attacks in 14 of 24 patients with ergonovine-induced arrhythmias compared to 16 of 71 patients without ergonovine-induced arrhythmias (p < 0.001). We conclude that arrhythmias during ergonovine testing are most often caused by ischemia and not reperfusion. Patients with arrhythmias during ergonovine-induced attacks are more likely to have arrhythmias during spontaneous attacks.
AB - Of 95 consecutive patients with active variant angina who underwent ergonovine testing in the coronary care unit while off treatment, 24 (25%) developed serious ventricular arrhythmias: ventricular tachycardia in eight, bigeminy in seven, pairs in five, and frequent ventricular extrasystoles in four. Ergonovine-induced arrhythmias were observed more often in patients with anterior than inferior ST segment elevation (p < 0.05). ST segment elevation was significantly higher (10.3 ± 8.1 vs 3.1 ± 2.1 mm) in patients who developed arrhythmias. All ventricular arrhythmias began within 3 minutes after the onset of ST segment elevation. The intravenous administration of nitroglycerin eliminated arrhythmias in 22 of 24 cases; in only two patients did ventricular arrhythmias develop after the administration of nitroglycerin. Serious ventricular arrhythmias were found during spontaneous variant angina attacks in 14 of 24 patients with ergonovine-induced arrhythmias compared to 16 of 71 patients without ergonovine-induced arrhythmias (p < 0.001). We conclude that arrhythmias during ergonovine testing are most often caused by ischemia and not reperfusion. Patients with arrhythmias during ergonovine-induced attacks are more likely to have arrhythmias during spontaneous attacks.
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U2 - 10.1016/0002-8703(84)90127-3
DO - 10.1016/0002-8703(84)90127-3
M3 - Article
C2 - 6419572
AN - SCOPUS:0021350219
VL - 107
SP - 20
EP - 24
JO - American Heart Journal
JF - American Heart Journal
SN - 0002-8703
IS - 1
ER -