01 December 2009
Life-threatening arrhythmia caused by primary aldosteronism
Tomas ZelinkaABCDEF, Robert HolajCDEG, Ondrej PetrakBCDE, Branislav StrauchBCE, Mojmir KasalickyB, Tomas HanusB, Vojtech MelenovskyBC, Vlastimil VancuraBC, Marcela BurgelováB, Jiri Widimsky jr.DEMed Sci Monit 2009; 15(12): CS174-177 :: ID: 878266
Abstract
Background
Arrhythmias are one of the typical complications of primary aldosteronism (PA), is commonly characterized by hypertension and hypokalemia.
Material and Method
In this report, we present 3 cases of subjects in whom primary aldosteronism manifested with life-threatening arrhythmias. In 2 subjects, after excluding organic heart disease, an implantable cardioverter defibrillator was inserted and, only after the second episode of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia accompanied with low plasma potassium levels, the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism was made.
Results
Conclusions
It is important to include diagnosis of primary aldosteronism in the diagnostic work-up of hypertensive subjects without any structural cardiovascular impairment who present with malignant arrhythmia and hypokalemia. Appropriate treatment of primary aldosteronism may avoid insertion of an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
Keywords: Tachycardia, Ventricular - therapy, Hypokalemia - etiology, Hypertension - etiology, Hyperaldosteronism - diagnosis, Defibrillators, Implantable, Arrhythmias, Cardiac - therapy, Torsades de Pointes - therapy
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