Arrhythmias induced by device antitachycardia therapy due to diagnostic nonspecificity

Clinical Electrophysiology Laboratory, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19104.

New technology has produced automatic cardioverter-defibrillators capable of delivering antitachycardia pacing, as well as low and high energy shocks and backup bradycardia pacing. These expanded treatment options have led to a wider range of clinical applications for such devices, including the treatment of ventricular tachycardias with longer cycle lengths, which may overlap the cycle lengths of some supraventricular arrhythmias. The diagnostic capability of these devices, although improved, has not advanced sufficiently to ensure reliable discrimination between all supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Two cases are presented in which device-mediated pacing therapy, triggered by supraventricular arrhythmias, induced ventricular tachycardia requiring additional therapeutic intervention. This report illustrates the therapeutic versatility and some of the potential pitfalls, of the recently developed devices and reviews the status of automatic arrhythmia identification technology.

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