Chronic Supraventricular Tachycardia
A Curable Cause of Congestive Cardiomyopathy
- Paul C. Gillette, MD;
- Richard T. Smith, MD;
- Arthur Garson Jr, MD;
- Charles E. Mullins, MD;
- Howard P. Gutgesell, MD;
- Tiow-Hoe Goh, MD;
- Denton A. Cooley, MD;
- Dan G. McNamara, MD
Abstract
Two cases of congestive cardiomyopathy were proved to be due to chronic atrial automatic-focus tachycardia. Surgical elimination of the tachycardia resulted in normalization of cardiac function in both cases. We suggest that patients with congestive cardiomyopathy be carefully screened for supraventricular tachycardia. Patients with chronic supraventricular tachycardia should be treated aggressively to prevent myocardial dysfunction.
(JAMA 1985;253:391-392)
Footnotes
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Reprint requests to Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Medical University of South Carolina, 171 Ashley Ave, Charleston, SC 29425 (Dr Gillette).
