Pacing-facilitated proarrhythmia

Abstract

The implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) has been proven to reduce the mortality of patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, and has become the therapy of choice for patients with aborted sudden cardiac death or poorly tolerated ventricular tachycardias. Abrupt changes in ventricular cycle lengths or short-long-short (S-L-S) sequences might precede the initiation of ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. The S-L-S sequences might be passively permitted or actively facilitated by pacing. We present a case of ICD-facilitated ventricular tachycardia.