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. 2006 Jul;11(3):281-3.
doi: 10.1111/j.1542-474X.2006.00116.x.

The initial (earliest) report of polymorphous ventricular tachycardia

Sonal Jani  1 , Paul Schweitzer
Affiliations

The initial (earliest) report of polymorphous ventricular tachycardia

Sonal Jani et al. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol. 2006 Jul.

Abstract

In these short historical notes, we describe the early history of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Polymorphous ventricular tachycardia was probably first noted in 1918 by Wilson and Robinson. In a publication describing complete heart block and ventriculophasic arrhythmia, they noted a tachyarrhythmia characterized by multiple extrasystoles of different types at a rapid rate. Also, we briefly discuss the earliest recognized torsades de pointes by Dessertenes in 1966 and the first description of catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, by Reid in 1977.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lead III shows complete AV block and slightly wider QRS complexes.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Two runs of PVT in lead II. The upper one is initiated by the long‐short sequences and the lower strip which is the longer episode, is initiated by a late ventricular premature beat.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The first irregular ventricular rhythm termed “torsades de pointes” by F. Dessertenne.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ho RT, Marchhlinkski FE. Approach to the patient with ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation In Management of Cardiac Arrhythmia ED. Totowa , NJ , Ganz LI Humana Press, 2002, pp. 233–264.
    1. Dessertenne F. La tachycardia ventriculaire a deux foyers opposes variable. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 1966;59:263–272. - PubMed
    1. Wilson FN, Robinson CC. Heart‐Block I. Two cases of complete heart block showing unusual features. Arch Intern Med 1918;21:166–175.
    1. Hecht AF. quoted by Wilson and Robinson.
    1. Kerr WMJ, Bender WML. Paroxysmal ventricular fibrillation with cardiac recovery in a case of auricular fibrillation and complete heart‐block while under quinidine sulphate therapy. Heart 1922;9:269–281.

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